The Fairies' Tales
by unashamed-shipper
Summary: Requests from my tumblr are now up for your enjoyment! The updates on this may be at random, so keep on your toes! Kinabra, Rokino, Loray, Graylu, Gruvia, Gajevy, Jerza, EndLu, Nalu, Mestanna, Ajevel, Fraxus.
1. Kisses and Swords

Kinana had escaped once again, and she was to see the gladiator she laid eyes on that first day she was brought into slavery. He was brave and strong, and his muscles left little to the imagination. His shirts were tight around his taut abdomen, and even his armor was fitted to his rippling physique.

Kinana sighed softly and rested her arms on the rigid stone balcony. His name was Cobra, and today he was making target practice with apples and a bow and arrow. His arms pulled back and fired the arrow to on top of his assistant's head, and he pumped his fist slightly when he hit the apple right into the tree.

But what most amazed Kinana about the man was that he didn't have a care in the world. With a slight smirk he sliced up lions with one single swipe, and he conquered his opponents and had them begging for mercy as he pointed his sword directly at them. But his hubris seemed to be that whenever he rode a chariot, he would become sick quite quickly. Kinana had heard of the other warriors that had the same curse, but had yet to see any of them.

Cobra looked up to the rafters where she was sitting with a lazy look and lifted a hand in greeting. Shocked, she wiggled her fingers back with a smile. He looked at her!

"Kinana! What are you doing out here?" her master exclaimed from behind her and began to yank on the girl's purple hair.

"I'm so sorry! I just wanted to see him again!" Kinana cowered and covered her face with her hands.

"I'll make sure you never come up to this place ever again!" the woman yelled as pulled a knife from her robes and held it menacingly over Kinana's feet.

"Please, no!" Kinana shouted and braced herself for the pain that was coming. This was it. Her feet were to be gone forever, and that was the end of seeing the handsome gladiator that she admired. She shut her eyes and tensed her body, ready for the agony.

But the gladiator had a different idea. Cobra was at Kinana's side with a hand on the knife blade that her master was due to push down on her feet.

"I don't mean to interrupt," Cobra told the woman gruffly, "but I will put a claim on that slave you have there."

Kinana opened her eyes and saw that Cobra was defending her. His hand holding the blade ease now gushing with blood, and her eyes widened at the liquid streaming down his arm.

"What do you mean? She's my slave! If I want her feet to be gone, I can do that!" the slave owner said to Cobra, drawing the blade back into the sheath when she saw how much blood she was drawing from the famed victor's hand.

"With all due respect," Cobra grasped his hand and bit down on the words sarcastically, "you don't seem to be taking care of the slaves, especially this one. I'll take her and teach her some good lessons. How much do you want for her?"

"Very well. I disliked her anyway. Good luck with this brat. I will be taking my 100 aureus now," the old woman held out her hand grumpily, and Cobra handed the money to her. The woman then turned around and walked away.

"Figures," Cobra said, and Kinana got up to help him with his hand. She ripped a piece of cloth from her pant leg and wrapped it around his hand.

They sat in silence then, the wind blowing against them and lifting Kinana's hair into the breeze. Her natural scent of violets blew into Cobra's nose, and that is when he noticed the green of her eyes for the first time. Emerald green, they were, and they were so bright that it shocked him into staring at her lovely face for several seconds.

"Thank you for saving me," Kinana said after a few moments, dipping her head low. He was her master now. It would be imperative to be respectful.

"It's not a big deal," Cobra tsked and stood up, grasping his hurt hand.

"Oh, but it is! You saved my life! How can I ever repay you?"

"Lemme ask you this. Would you do the same if it were me?" Cobra asked, crossing his arms over his shoulders.

"Of course! I would definitely save your life, my lord," she told him, and he barked out a laugh.

"Don't call me that again. You can call me Erik," he said with a soft bite to his words, and his fingertips with his good hand grazed her jaw. To Kinana, it felt like little sparks were in his fingers, and she relished in the moment as he stared into her eyes.

Green on brown, they stared at each other. A smile here, a gaze there, and an attraction blooming in the blustery air. Slowly, they inched towards each other with uncertainty and their lips met in a lustful way. Their teeth clacked and their tongues collided, and heat pooled in both of their bellies. Kinana bit down on Cobra's bottom lip and he responded with a sharp growl that made the heat pool in Kinana's stomach even faster.

When they broke apart, Kinana smiled at her friend, and Cobra even managed a small upturn of his lips.

"Let's go home," Cobra said to Kinana, and he grabbed her hand and began to walk with her.

"Yes, Erik."


	2. Thieves and Stowaways

Yukino Aguria was not a woman to be messed with. Despite her cute looks, the short woman could cut you with a second's notice and leave your head on a mantle for her own enjoyment. She was ruthless as all hell, and if one ever insulted her or her sister, her sword would go up your throat and through your skull before you even said a second sentence about her being 'soft'.

That morning, Yukino had found a boat and put her foot on it to test it. It held up against her weight, and even though she was not a large woman she knew good wood when she saw it. She wobbled slightly, still feeling inebriated from last night's big party. They had only served to save the ale from their old ship, which meant they had to find a new one. And find a new one she had.

"I enjoy this boat," she whispered softly, and then yelled to the rest of the crew to get moving.

"Minerva! Get on course. We don't have time for dilly dallying," she snapped her fingers once with the turn of her wrist, and instantly her crew got into place. They were a ragtag group of all different genders, sexual orientations, and even goals. Natsu Dragneel, her first mate, was in a committed relationship with his girlfriend Lucy Heartfilia, one of the maids. Gray Fullbuster was poly and in a relationship with Juvia Lockser and Loke the Lion both, and boy did they ever have a fun time together. Sting, the trans girl that was Yukino's best friend, loved Minerva like no other, but Minerva still had her doubts about the girl who brought her onto the ship with a fierce attitude and a boot to the ass.

Yukino prided herself on being pansexual which meant that she would reach down someone's pants and be fine with whatever she found, and the person would be marked down as afraid and really horny at the same time.

Yukino hadn't found her person yet. Every pirate on the ship had it's own person, but Yukino hadn't found her own. As she looked across the sea, she knew today would be different. Maybe she would find her person today after all.

"Yes, Your Highness," Minerva answered, turning the boat onto the salty seas. The rest of the crew held everything together. The sails were turned and everything else was kept in ship shape by the maids at the time. The crew members who were doing nothing right then started to clean up along with the maids.

"Your Highness, there has been a disturbance," Sting told her best friend, and whispered into her ear.

"What?" Yukino roared, and everyone covered their ears. "Well, since we're at shore, it will be my turn to investigate it."

"Shit, someone's dead," Natsu muttered to Gray, and the two chuckled into their palms until being silened by Yukino's icy glare.

Stomping her boots loudly, Yukino opened the door to the wine cellar and put her hands behind her back. Today, she was going to find a stowaway on her ship.

And they'd be damned if she didn't kill them.

"Come out now and I will hesitate to kill you," Yukino yelled across the cellar, and soon enough a black head popped up above the barrels.

"Have fun trying. Maybe I'll hesitate to kill you," the man said, hand already on the handle of his sword.

The captain grasped her sword's handle, brandishing it out to see its full length. The man only raised his eyebrows and gave her a look that could only be defined as amusement.

"Really? Your sword is but a dagger, miss," the man told her, and he pulled out his own and stepped forward with a smirk.

"I'm sure your real sword is but a dagger too, sir," Yukino spit, and with a single blow she knocked the sword out of his hand.

"Saucy," the man said with a short wink, and while Yukino was stunned by the man's dark eyes, he picked up his sword and swiped her sleeve off of her left shoulder. Yukino merely blinked as her shirt slid off of her shoulder and showed her left breast. The man looked at the revealed flesh for a moment with a small smile but then turned back to her gaze when he saw that she looked murderous.

"You dare to invalidate me, a queen?" Yukino snarled, and they parried for a few moments before slowing. The man was actually a good swordsman, but he had quite a few things to learn still.

Yes, Yukino was actually a queen. Her best friend, the duchess Sorano, had left the throne to become a pirate years ago. It was only natural that Yukino become the next pirate. Someone else could have that stuffy old throne. She wanted battle and sex.

"I don't care if you're a queen. If you're on my boat, then that means that you're a thief," the man spat on the ground and grinned at Yukino. Once again she was paralyzed for a moment by the man's dark eyes and bright smile, but she would not let herself be swayed. She was a queen after all, and she had a legacy to uphold.

Yukino realized that that morning they had stolen a boat, and they hadn't checked for stowaways. Shit.

The captain thought for a few seconds, sighing before deciding to apologize.

"Sir, I apologize. We took your boat, but we have no intention on giving it back. I have no way to repay you," Yukino told him as she bit her tongue. She didn't want to sound rude, but she really hated apologizing.

"The name is Rogue, miss. And there is a way you can repay me," he grinned and sheathed his blade.

Stepping towards her, Rogue looked quite hungry. Yukino covered up her breast by tying the fabric back together with her hands quickly. Was he going to grope her? Or worse?

Rogue stepped up to Yukino's head and she found that he stood a head taller than her. A light flush covered her sneering face, and she was at conflict with herself. He lowered his lips closer to hers, and slowly but surely inched his way closer to her mouth. Yukino opened her mouth with abandon, getting ready for a kiss from the stowaway.

But at the last second, he turned her head and whispered in her ear. "Let me join your crew, miss," he told her, and she pulled away and slapped him.

"I thought you were about to kiss me!' she flushed, her face full of indignation.

"Well, we can't always get what we want, can we?" Rogue said as he grinned.

"Fine, join my crew. But do not expect to be liked, Rogue," she growled his name with barred teeth. Yukino turned on her heel and headed up the stairs, her hips swaying.

"Oh, believe me, you will be the first to like me," Rogue whispered while watching her retreating form.


	3. Ice Skates and Big Cats

Gray's movements were like a swan's: graceful and beautiful. His leg kicked back in the full grace of the dance and he smiled as he completed the triple axel, if not with a bit of a wobble. With a confident smirk on his face, he skated up to Lucy, his coach.

"How was that?" he asked, his eyes full of arrogance. He knew he did well. Now all she had to do was tell him that.

"You did pretty good, Gray, I'll give you that. But you have to work on that landing," Lucy was now the one to smirk. She had noticed that he wobbled a bit on the landing.

Gray shoved his hands into his pockets and slouched. Usually he would be good on that landing, but today something was on his mind.

"Hello, my gorgeous figure skaters. What are you up to today?" Loke said as he came up behind them, hugging both of their heads to his chest with each arm. The ginger man had an affinity for figure skaters– but just the blonde and dark haired ones.

"Hey, Loke. We were just working on Gray's triple axel," Lucy grinned softly as she shoved his arm off of her head.

Gray did the same and smiled at the man he couldn't get out of his mind. They had their date last night, and he had thought about it when he tried to stick the landing for his triple axel.

"Of course you'll get it right, my love. And you have such a lovely coach, too," Loke purred, stroking Gray's jaw with his fingertips.

Electricity felt like it was in those fingers, and didn't Gray ever know it. The man's slender digits worked gold into everything he did–that's why he was such a good fashion designer. Gray proudly wore his colleague's leotards on the ice during performances… Even if they were a little tight in some places.

"Go show him what you've got, Gray," Lucy cheered, and Gray skated back onto the ice with dignity. Loke grinned and gave Gray a thumbs up and Gray lifted his arms to start the ice dance.

It was time to show his more than a friend what he was made of.


	4. Peppermint and Love Potions

"Amortenia," Professor Dreyar began while stroking his long beard, "is the strongest love potion in the world. It's properties are only evident to the one in love. Miss Lockser," he called to the girl sitting in the back with a smile on her face.

"Yes, sir?" she asked, lifting her head from her hand.

"Come up here, child," the professor told her as he motioned for her to come up in front of the class.

"Yes, professor," she said before hopping off of her chair and making her way to the front.

"Now tell me, what do you smell?" he asked, and Juvia took a deep sniff from the jar it was presented in.

"Juvia smells…ice shavings, and peppermint, and…Oreos?" Juvia's face scrunched up in confusion as she told the class the muggle food.

The class tittered with laughter, and Juvia blushed. Who would ever smell like Oreos?

"Very well, Miss Lockser. And who can tell me why she smells those things?" Makarov stepped around the room with his hands behind his back.

Levy McGarden's hand shot up immediately. "Yes, Miss McGarden," he answers, and her hand goes down instantly.

"It's the smell of her soulmate. The person she is to be with forever," Levy says, softly grinning.

"Correct! 5 points to Ravenclaw," Mr. Makarov says, and Levy pumps a fist in victory.

"But… Juvia does not have a soulmate!" Juvia cries, and the rest of the class turned to look at her.

"Everyone does, Miss Lockser, whether it be romantic or platonic. What you choose to do with this information is your decision. Class dismissed," Makarov stares at Juvia, and the young woman quiets herself. Everyone moved to pack up their bags quickly; there was a trip to Hogsmeade tonight.

Juvia caught up with her friends Lucy and Levy, talking to them as they went to their respective dorms about what treats they were going to buy.

"Juvia does not think that she will find her soulmate ever!" Juvia burst into tears, and Lucy comforted her friend.

"Of course you will, Juvia! Just look at me and Natsu or Levy and Gajeel. We all find each other soon enough," Lucy rubbed her friend's arm and then departed to go with Levy to the Ravenclaw dorms.

Juvia cried all the way to her Hufflepuff dorm, only slowing when she decided to pack her purse for Hogsmeade. She went to dinner in sadness, hoping that one day she would meet her soulmate.

On the way back to her dorm, she saw something unfamiliar. A dark haired boy casting a few spells at a white haired one, and the freezing spells being cast back and forth were gorgeous.

Juvia inched closer until she peeked behind a pillar to see the dueling boys.

"Lyon, stop throwing those fucking things at me!" the dark haired man yelled, firing his own spell at the other wizard. The man stopped to take a breath, and was promptly hit in the chest by Lyon's spell.

"No stopping in the real world, Gray!" Lyon shouted, chuckling.

"Screw you, you bastard!" Gray yelled and Juvia started to blush. He was so handsome…

Unfortunately, one of Lyon's spells hit him square in the stomach and sent Gray flying across the room and knocking Juvia over.

"Oof!" Juvia yelled. The man felt like a ton of bricks on her small body. He laid on top of her stomach first like a hog pile, and it was painful as all hell.

"Sorry you had to witness that idiot," Gray said, pulling himself up and sticking out his hand to help Juvia off the floor.

Blushing, she took his hand and let him bring her to her feet. The first thing she noticed was he smelled cold. Like a winter's breeze that would frostbite your toes, and warm hot chocolate that would warm up your gloved fingers when you went inside.

Peppermint, she decided, and Juvia's blush deepened when she knew what this meant.

He was her soulmate.

And in his hand were crushed Oreos. He placed each of the pieces in his mouth bit by bit, and his breath even smelled like the chocolate cookie.

"Let me make it up to you. You wanna go to Hogsmeade later today?" Gray asked, slouching his shoulders.

"Juvia would love to go!" Juvia exclaimed, smiling up at him.

"Alright then. Let's get going," Gray told her, and together they started a friendship–a relationship–that lasted a lifetime.


	5. Pride and Warriors

When Gajeel did something, he did it well. The first pieces of armor he made as an apprentice were far greater than the ones of his peers, and he was proud of himself for it. He knew he was good at what he did, so why hide it?

"A good blacksmith knows his faults," said his mentor, Metallicana, but Gajeel paid no mind to his old friend. He was perfect at what he did even though he spent half of the time in the shop as the others did. Why spend more time when you could be out doing something useful with your time?

Gajeel worked steadily away at his new armor fit for battle. He didn't know when he'd actually use it–most people saw his stature and decided not to pick a fight with him–but it was good to have anyway.

As sweat poured down his forehead, he wiped it away quickly before bringing the hammer back down on the chest plate again. He knew that this would be the best armor he ever made, and he was damn proud of it too.

"Excuse me," said a small voice from behind him, and he jolted upwards. Realizing that the bell on the door had probably rang and he hadn't heard it, Gajeel put away the hammer quickly and turned around to face his new customer.

But his tongue practically caught in his throat when he found who it was.

She was short, blue-haired, and looked sassy. And that immediately made him want to tease her. She wasn't too bad looking, either…

"What can I do ya for, short stack?" he asked with a chortle, and the young woman stomped a foot at his quip. Just as he thought. Sassy.

"Tch. All I need is some new armor," the small woman said, and with strong arms she heaved the armor onto the blacksmith's table.

"Why would you need armor? I'm sure you got someone to protect you. If you don't, you better get one soon," Gajeel smirked.

"I'm a warrior, thank you very much. And my size is used to my advantage." The woman crossed her arms across her chest with a pout, and Gajeel chuckled. She was cute, he had to give her that much. But still, she was full of bullshit.

"Yeah? Then show me."

"Sure," she told him, and instantly she snaked between his legs and came out behind him, and he looked behind him with a smile.

"What are you gonna do shortstu–" he began, but the wind was quickly knocked out of his lungs as he was flipped over promptly and landed on his back.

The woman stood over Gajeel with a triumphant smile. Her blue hair hung over her face, and in a flash she tied it back in a bun. He could see her skin illuminated by the light, and it seemed to shimmer with how pale she was.

"How is it lying on the ground with a woman half your size standing over you?" She asked, hurrying over to the side of him. She grinned even wider, and to his dismay his cheeks flushed slightly.

Short, sassy, and badass.

Holy shit, he was in love.


	6. Bandages and Soldiers

Trigger Warning for this chapter: descriptions of death, murder, blood, and pain. Read at your own risk.

* * *

Jellal didn't care to live for much longer. Now that his best friends were dead, what did he have to lose by dying? Ultear had been murdered by a German soldier with a bullet to the head, and Meredy had been killed back home because of all the bombings. Now, all he could look forward to was either going home or death.

Since his friends had died, his emotions had slowed to a lull. He cared little what he ate or drank or did, and everyone around him knew it too. He used to be one of the most empathetic soldiers. And now that everyone had died, he could care less about eating or spending time for himself. He didn't have to take care of himself if he was doomed to die anyway.

As the whir of the plane lifted them up into the air, Jellal breathed in his nervousness and adrenaline.

Today was June 6th, and they were about to go onto Normandy's shore.

"Get ready!" Cobra grunted, but Jellal heard his commanding officer's voice waver. He was afraid too. Afraid not of death, but where he would go after. He had killed so many… would the gates of heaven or the pit of hell be waiting for him afterwards?

As they neared the shore, many of the men seemed to be praying. For salvation, for their wives, for their families. Jellal scoffed. What good was it going to do when most of them were to die anyway?

"Three."

Jellal gritted his teeth and bent his knees, readying himself for the jump that would either bring him victorious or kill him.

"Two." Laxus' voice was heard over the loud propellor. The large man seemed to even quiver a bit, and another soldier laid a hand on the man's shoulder.

Jellal sighed. He was so damn ready to die.

"One."

Even so, prayer maybe wouldn't hurt this time. Who knows? Maybe he could pray for death.

Jellal didn't believe in God, but in these moments, maybe he was needed. He sent up a silent prayer for him to die as painfully as possible, for it was needed for someone who had committed as many sins as he.

"Go!"

Jellal took his leap out of the plane just after the person before him, and the wind hit him like a shock. He happened to look to his left and heard bullets being shot right next to him and braced for impact.

The person who jumped before him cried in agony, and it was deafening. He had heard the scream of a dying man so many times that he was numb to it, and the man soon was quieted. Jellal didn't dare to look back at the soldier's body.

Jellal gazed down as he fell, and for the first time in the longest he felt the slightest bit of hope. Maybe he would make it after all.

But that was a victory celebrated all too soon. Jellal's eye was drawn to someone's gun that fired a shot directly at him, and he squeezed his eyes shut right when he needed to. The bullet sailed right into the left side of his face, and Jellal wailed, covering his eye with a hard grip. He felt the thick liquid seeping onto his face, and Jellal could only hope for death.

The pain was all too much, and Jellal blacked out with a groan. The darkness swirled around him, and all he felt was suffering. Today, he would die.

And Jellal was happy for the first time in ages.

* * *

Unfortunately, Jellal awoke. Gauzy bandages covered his forehead and eyes, and he lifted a heavy arm to take it off. When he found that his arm was attached to an IV, he moved his other to rip it out. He wanted death as soon as possible.

"If you keep trying to take the IV out of your arm, I will not hesitate to stab you with this scalpel," a voice said from his side, and he recognized it as a female.

Jellal shot up in his bed with a shout. "Who are you?"

He felt a small hand cover his arm, and he felt comfort for the first time in a while.

"It is alright. I am Erza Scarlet, and I am here to help you," her voice was soothing, and he felt warm all over his body.

"How do I know I can trust you?" Jellal's hesitation was etched into his words.

"Well, I am a soldier just like yourself. Sadly, they decided to take me out of the war when my arm was shot and amputated. I had enough skills to become a nurse, and they put me in here to help people. I seem to be much better at that than shooting a rifle," Erza said dryly, and Jellal managed a soft grin.

The grin felt foreign on his face, and he felt the strange feeling of security. He hadn't felt that since he was at home with his family and friends…

"Am I going to lose my eye?"

"Most likely. That bullet hit you quite hard, and you will have a scar on your forehead from where it hit you," Erza replied while adding more anesthetic to his IV bag.

"Do you know when I'll be able to take these bandages off?" he asked, lifting a hand to touch his bandages.

"Soon, Private Fernandes. Soon," Erza said, and he heard a grin in her voice.

He slowly got better as the days passed. And as they passed, Jellal and Erza got to know each other a lot better. They found out that they grew up in the same town, but Jellal moved before he could meet her.

"I think we would have gotten along splendidly," Erza told him with a hand on his shoulder, and Jellal felt a slight flush on his face. Maybe if he weren't so marred, he would ask her on a date for coffee at the canteen…

"Erza?" Jellal asked her.

"Hm?"

"When will I be able to take these bandages off?" he asked with a slight smirk. Normal facial expressions were starting to feel alright on his face once more, and he liked that he could smile at her. If only he could see hers.

"Soon, Private Fernandes. Soon," she answered once more, and that grin he heard grew ever wider.

"I want to take them off," Jellal said.

"Why would you want to do such a thing? You will never see out of your left eye again!" Erza exclaimed.

"I want to see your smile," Jellal said honestly, and it was Erza's turn to blush.

"D-don't say such things," she replied, and he chuckled. She was very cute, even if he couldn't see her face.

"I'll say what I want, Miss Scarlet," he chided, and her voice went higher in pitch when he smiled at her.

The days went by quickly with her by his side. Soon, he would be able to see her for the first time.

* * *

"Today, I will take off your bandages," Erza said, and her smile was evident even through her nervous speech.

"Alright," Jellal choked out of excitement and stress. He was to see her today. But what if she thought him not worthy of her? She was an accomplished nurse, and he just a soldier who wanted to die before he met her.

"I'm going to glide a knife over the bandages and cut them. Be warned; the lights are going to effect your eye," Erza told him, and Jellal nodded.

The blade sliced through the bandages effortlessly, and the light shone in Jellal's eye. He scrunched up his face in confusion and then blinked his eye a few times to open it.

"Careful. Your depth perception isn't what it used to be," Erza warned. Her hand was on his leg, and he looked at it once he was used to the light.

Slowly, his sight moved up her arm and onto her face. What he saw shocked him.

Her face was angled, but kind. She looked loving, and her touch definitely spoke volumes about her character. Her eyes were warm brown, and her lips were light pink. But her hair was the most gorgeous thing about her.

It was long, thick, and bright red. It hung over her shoulder like a waterfall, and she took her arm off of his leg to straighten it. It was a bit frizzy today, but he deemed it cute rather than careless.

"You… you're beautiful," he told her, and Erza blushed. It was even more cute than he would ever have imagined!

"I…thank you," she stumbled over her words, and Jellal swept her into his arms with a smile.

"Be mine, Erza," he told her, and he pressed his lips to her forehead.

Erza graciously accepted with a grin.

A year later, Erza and Jellal were married after the war was finished. They went back to the country they lived in prior to the war, and lived a happy life together.

But they never forgot the war that brought them together. Jellal remembered the color of her hair on the day they met, and Erza always remembered how he smiled at her.

Those were the days that the two fell in love.

And love conquered all fears.


	7. Back Massages and Bra Straps

"Ugh, that mission was harder than expected," Lucy slumped into the couch and pressed a hand to her back and moving it up to rub her shoulders. Not only did her boobs weigh a ton, but for the mission today they had to climb a mountain to get to their destination. Who the hell thought it was a good idea for the small woman to climb up a mountain along with two other men and practically a woman bodybuilder?!

"Lemme help ya, Luce," Natsu said, coming around behind her, and Lucy picked herself out of the chair so Natsu could massage her shoulders.

She dropped down to the floor and exhaled, hoping that the pain would soon be over. Her shoulders almost always were sore from the weight of her chest, and sometimes the thick bra straps would leave indents on her shoulders. It didn't help that none of her bras were cute; what was one to do when their chest was a 34F?

In the instant that Natsu's large hands touched Lucy's shoulders, she moaned from how good it felt. He was hitting all the right spots on her back. No one had done that since a massage therapist, and she had to clamp her mouth shut to not moan around that person. But now, she could!

Pushing her bra straps off of their normal spot and onto the edge of her shoulders, she relaxed and sighed with an indescribable grin on her face. Ah, to feel relaxed and like you had a normal back for once!

Natsu's ears reddened rapidly, and when Lucy groaned once more when he began touching her back, he had to think about massaging Erza's back to not get aroused. Dammit, her moans were so nice! It didn't help that he could practically hear that she was being close to being turned on. Curse his advanced hearing!

Natsu moved his hands slowly down her back, kneading the knots that he felt when he pressed his fingers up against her. Lucy sighed happily, and thankfully Natsu was safe. All he had to do now was finish the massage and she would be happy with her.

Lucy couldn't help herself from getting the smallest bit aroused from the massage. His hands emanated heat, and he pressed hard enough that it felt like heaven on earth to her sore back. If he could just move his hands a few inches to the left and the right, he would be actually touching her breasts, which was the source of the problem.

Natsu pressed her hands to the small of her back, and Lucy sucked in a breath. If she could get him to massage her breasts, then she might feel better. Nevermind the now obvious heat pooling in between her legs… Lucy had a mission now.

Lucy whirled around quickly and placed Natsu's hands where she needed it most, and when he accidentally squeezed, she let out a wanton moan that made Natsu's dick bob up immediately. His eyes widened, and he let out a strangled cry.

"Oh, Natsu!" Lucy panted, and Natsu's hands flew off of her. Breathing heavily, his eyes darted to the door and back to her. Lucy stared at him underneath dark lashes. She was so cute, but they were only friends!

At least, he thought until she said his name like she was horny as hell.

Natsu bolted out of the chair and ran out the door without so much as a "bye, Lucy!"

Lucy gazed at the door with a confused look, and then dropped her head into her hands.

"Oh God, what have I done?"


	8. Lumber and Babies

Gajeel huffed as he chopped the lumber to put in their fireplace for the night, only stopping to wipe the sweat off of his brow. When he stopped, he put the axe down and looked yonder to the sunsetting sky. It was beautiful, he knew, but not more beautiful than the smell of his wife's cooking. Gajeel's stomach growled, and as soon as he finished cutting the wood into smaller pieces, he went inside.

"Gajeel!" Levy said, turning around with a dish in her hands. It was potroast tonight, and Gajeel grinned at the sight of the food–and his lovely wife. Her hair was pulled back by an orange headband as per the usual, and she wore a body-hugging apron that read "Iron" in large letters. She knew that he loved it when she wore clothes that spoke of him, and even more when those clothes wrapped around her tiny body in a sensual way.

"Heya, shrimp," he told her, dropping a kiss on her forehead and ruffling her hair with one hand, grasping the wood in the other. He walked over to the fireplace and placed a few pieces inside the crackling fire and stoked it and turned to his wife to grin at her.

Levy was now sitting on the couch, and she had a small bag for him to open.

"What's this, shorty?" he asked, and Levy only giggled and handed him the bag. With a confused look, he began to sift through the layers of wrapping paper. He opened the first little package inside and saw that it was a box of nails.

"Thanks," he told her with a grin, and he ripped open the box to toss them in his mouth.

"Gajeel, no!" Levy yelled, and with a grunt Gajeel pulled the nails out of his mouth.

"What did ya say that for? Iron is delicious!"

"You've gotta open the rest of it, moron," she told him, crossing her arms over her small chest.

Gajeel sighed and opened the next package: a hammer.

"Are you trying to give me more metal to eat? It doesn't matter that the wood's there, I'll eat it anyway!" Gajeel laughed, and Levy sighed at the sound.

Finally, he unwrapped the final gift. A small, plastic object with two soft pink lines on the little screen.

"Levy, what the hell…?" Gajeel wondered, and then his eyes widened.

It was a pregnancy test, and two pink lines meant pregnant.

Levy was pregnant. He was going to be a father.

Gajeel Redfox, the man who almost killed his future wife years ago, was going to be pregnant with his tiny, beautiful wife's child.

A single tear trickled down Gajeel's eye, and he instantly wiped it away with a grin.

In an instant, Gajeel swept Levy up in his arms and laughed uproariously. They were finally going to have children after months and months of trying! Levy giggled and kissed her husband on the lips, and the kiss deepened through their smiles.

When they broke apart, Gajeel set Levy back down and smiled at her.

"You better eat, Lev. You're eatin' for two now!"

"Actually, more like three," Levy looked down.

"What?!" Gajeel's eyes widened even more, and Levy explained.

"I went to the doctor earlier today and it looks like we're going to have twins. I don't know the sex of them yet, but the doctor said they're going to be healthy," Levy stammered, and Gajeel laughed and kissed his wife one more time.

Soon, they would be a happy, loving family. And Gajeel was happy as could be, but still confused about one thing.

"Why did y ou give me the nails and the hammer?" Gajeel asked, and Levy smiled softly.

"I thought maybe you would like to make the cribs for them, Gajeel," she said, putting her hand on top of his.

"So…you like watching me work outside shirtless?" Gajeel snickered with a grin, and Levy kissed the tip of his nose.

"Yeah, I guess so," she said, and then the two began to eat.


	9. Pick Up Lines and Chemistry

When Natsu had a goal, he stuck to it. Today, that goal was to get Lucy Heartfilia to go out with him. He rarely backed down from a fight with Laxus or Gray, but today he would not back down from the battle of love.

The only wrench in Natsu's plan was that he was terrible with words. In fact, he had a slight stutter when he got nervous. But nothing like that was going to detach the tenacious young man from his goal.

Silently, he headed over to Lucy's table and grinned at her. Once the young woman put the test tube down, she sighed and put her hand on her hip like she always did when she was annoyed.

"What is it this time, Natsu?" she asked, and he took a deep breath before reciting his line of the day.

"Did we ever t-take a class together?" Natsu questioned, cursing himself for messing up the moment.

"What? We're been in the same class for months, idiot! How did I expect you to remember that when you can't even remember your own name half the time when you talk to me–" Lucy started, but Natsu cut her off.

"Because I swear we have chemistry," Natsu chuckled and grinned his signature, and Lucy threw her hands up in the air.

"I give up," Lucy cried, holding her head in her open palm while the other rested on her hip once more.

"So you'll g-go out with me, then?" Natsu piped up, and Lucy scowled in his direction.

"Unless you want this test tube of rubbing alcohol all over your body and for me to light a match and throw it on you, I suggest you go back to your table," Lucy sneered, and Natsu yelped. He never thought someone so cute could look so terrifying.

He got the picture quite quickly and made a beeline back to his table where he and Gray had a hard time not smashing the Bunsen burner on top of each other's heads.

* * *

Lucy sighed as she got out of class. Natsu was irritating, no doubt, but his tenacity made her admire him a bit. She didn't have a crush on him, but he was quite interesting. The way the young man carried himself with confidence even when he was being a moron confused and intrigued Lucy, and she wanted to know more about him.

Of course, that meant that she'd have to endure one of his pickup lines again.

"Hello, Lucy," Erza said from her right, and Lucy glanced over at one of her good friends. Erza was holding her clipboard like usual, taking notes on today's lecture. Her outfit was crisp as a fall day, and not a single hair on her head was out of place.

To everyone, Erza seemed perfect. She was at the top of the class, and she was the TA of four classes for three years running.

But only Lucy knew the truth: Erza was terrible with men. Especially Jellal Fernandes. So, Erza turned to Lucy for advice in the love department.

"Hi, Erza. Did you see Jellal today?" Lucy asked, and she and Erza began walking together. Lucy liked talking to her friends about their love lives, even when her own was such a mess.

"H-how did you know?" Erza questioned, tipping her glasses down and flushing.

"Well, for one thing, all you've written on that paper is 'I love Jellal' and 'Mrs. Jellal Fernandes' and Jellal's name like sixteen times," Lucy pointed out, and Erza flushed even deeper, "and second of all, two of your buttons on your blouse are popped open. And your skirt is a little higher than usual."

"I'm so sorry, Lucy! I meant to do what we planned: walk past him with my hips swaying ad wave f-flirtatiously," Erza began, grasping the hem of her skirt like a little girl in love, "but he was talking with friends and I wanted to show him that I am a woman of sexual prowess."

Lucy looked at her friend incredulously. Erza couldn't say 'flirtatiously' without stuttering, but she could say 'sexual prowess' without a blink of an eye? She really was strange…

"B-but, his friends all noticed me before he did and by the time he looked at me, class was about to start and I had to run to class. Oh, Lucy, what do I do?" Erza wailed.

"Uh, well… you could start off by just saying hello. You don't have to become a woman of sexual prowess right away," Lucy told her friend, and Erza straightened up right away.

"Of course! I will just have to start off with hello. And then I can seduce him! Thank you, Lucy. I don't know what I would do without you," Erza shook her friend's hand up and down many times before zooming off with a cloud of dust behind her to go say hello to her crush.

"Uh, you're…welcome?" Lucy said, confused. But Erza was long gone.

As her feet tapped up the stairs to her dorm room, Lucy realized that she was great with friend's love lives, but terrible with her own.

* * *

Today was the day, Natsu just knew it. He knew that today she would finally say yes. He had already asked once, so she would definitely say yes this time! Yesterday was just a fluke. Today, he was going to achieve his goal.

"Lucy!" he yelled, and Lucy immediately let out a groan.

"What do you want?" Lucy regretted her decision of shouting over the class when he ran over to her.

"Lucy, do you know what my shirt is made of?" Natsu asked, holding his shirt out for her to feel.

Lucy let out a sigh and decided to humor the man for once. "What is it made of, Natsu?"

Natsu beamed before telling her. "Boyfriend material," he smiled, and Lucy let out a sarcastic laugh before rolling her eyes.

Well, at least she didn't threaten to light him on fire…

* * *

Lucy stomped her way up to her dorm. The nerve of that pink-haired idiot! It didn't matter how cute he looked when he smiled, and it didn't matter how adorable he looked in his dark green shirt today that matched his eyes. He was an absolute joke!

Lucy unlocked her door and threw herself on the bed before Levy popped out of the couch she slept on under the bed. Levy preferred to sleep on a futon rather than a bed. It was strange, sure, but so was Levy herself. The woman was basically the size of a mouse, but her attitude was as big as a lion's. She had no problem telling off delinquents who smoked weed outside their class.

Unfortunately for her, Levy ended up attracting one of them. Gajeel Redfox had quit smoking once he had fallen for the bookworm, and he decided to go to class again—not that it had anything to do with the tiny woman who told him he was an asshole. That was months ago, and now they were dating and spent time in the library together "studying". The word was relative because of how much making out they did instead of actually working on homework. Lucy only knew this because she had walked in on one of their study dates and never went back to the library again. Books could be used for so many things that Lucy never knew…

"Boy trouble?" Levy guessed as she hopped up onto Lucy's bed. The bed barely creaked under Levy's weight. Lucy was so jealous of her roommate–she could eat a whole refrigerator of food and never gain a pound.

"I just don't understand it, Levy," Lucy explained, and she groaned once more. "Natsu can barely talk to me without asking me a pick up line that is so dumb that I need to lose like a hundred brain cells just to understand it."

"Maybe he doesn't know how to tell you what he is feeling. Think about it, Lu," Levy told Lucy as she placed a hand on her shoulder, "ever since he saw you, he's been trying to get you to go out with him. And that was what… eight months ago?"

"I guess so, Levy," Lucy sighed as she pushed her head back onto her pillow. Pulling the blankets over her head, Lucy took a deep breath and decided to take a nap. She needed a mental reset after all of this new information.

Maybe Natsu wasn't so bad after all…

* * *

Natsu had decided to let Lucy have a break after his last pick up line. But when he saw her in class on Monday, he knew he had to talk to her.

He stopped himself to think about the situation. He laughed to himself. Natsu Dragneel was thinking about a situation?! It was like a class demon Erza or a really emotional Gray. It just didn't happen.

But Lucy had changed him. She made him into a better person. Over those past months, she had revealed herself to be quiet and an observer. And it made Natsu wanted to change for her.

As he made his almost daily trip over to her seat, he opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off.

"Yes, I will go out with you," she answered, and Natsu opened and closed his mouth like a fish.

"Y-you will?" Natsu stammered, and Lucy laughed.

"Sure, why not? I have to try some new things sometime," Lucy replied, and she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. His cheeks flushed, and Lucy giggled.

"Do you go to Starbucks often?" Lucy asked, and Natsu looked at her questioningly.

"No, but their chili mochas are delicious, Luce! They have chili powder in the drink and it's got espresso and–"

"Cause I like you a latte," Lucy laughed for the second time that day, and Natsu's cheeks darkened.

Damn. She really was perfect for him.


	10. Demons and Dresses

END tapped his claws on the marble staircase, waiting for his bride to appear. They were to meet today, and he was hoping she was as gorgeous as everyone told him. Taking a glance at the clock on the wall, he smoothed his hair and straightened his horns. Only the best for his future wife.

A few minutes later, Lucy came down the staircase with elegance in a lavender dress with a halter neck and crystals on the hem. END noted quickly that the v-neck worked for the woman quite well, but tipped his head back to see her face.

Her smile was as gorgeous as they come, and her hair was golden as the fields they had outside the palace. Lucy's body was curvaceous and he loved that. Oh, how he wanted to dig his claws into her flesh and make her his…

END shook his head, making the perverted thoughts disappear. Perhaps he would act on them at another time, but today was different.

Today, they went on their first date.

"Hello," Lucy giggled, holding out her small hand for him to shake. "I'm Lucy. Nice to meet you…?"

"Hello, my dear. My name is END. But you may call me Natsu. It is my real name, after all," END said, grasping her hand and pressing a kiss to her knuckles. Lucy flushed for the first time in a long time.

This END was attractive to her. He obviously worked out, and he was slightly taller than what she was used to. His eyes were dark and hungry but filled with a loving undertone. And she loved that. And soon, she would learn to love him as well.

"I brought you a gift. Only the best for you, my love," the demon man purred, and Lucy gasped at the large rectangular box she was handed by a servant. It was wrapped in creamy, soft paper and topped with a bow. Whatever was inside had to be extremely elegant.

She slowly opened the box, and inside she found a dress with frills and a deep v for the neckline. It was short, but gorgeous.

END leaned over and whispered in Lucy's ear. "I thought we could use it for some of our play times," his voice was a soft hiss, and a shiver went up Lucy's spine.

"We'll save that for later," Lucy answered, pushing the box aside.

He held his hand out for her to hold, and she grasped his palm.

"C'mon, Lucy. We're going to be late for the dinner," he told her with a grin, and in that moment he sounded slightly human. Only a man would be worried about being late.

And it didn't matter if he was a demon. As she kissed his cheek, his face lit up and flushed like a man would if a woman kissed him anywhere.

They walked together hand in hand to the elegant restaurant where they started their life together.

After all, it was always more fun when they were together.


	11. Insecurities and Coats

Lyon strutted around in his new coat, and stopped to eye himself in the mirror. He grinned at his reflection before looking at his wife, who was putting dinner in the oven.

"What do you think, my love?" he asked, turning to the side to admire all angles of his physique.

"Looks good, sweetie," Meredy replied, not turning from her spot in the kitchen.

"You didn't even look!" Lyon cried, placing a hand on his heart. Why would his wife not want to look at his lovely figure? He looked amazing in the coat of emerald green. It popped against his light skin and hair. She was sure missing out on quite a sight…

"Lyon, you look good in anything. Why do I have to tell you that every time you buy something new?" Meredy sighed, pushing the vegetables around in their pot.

"Whatever is the matter, dearest?" Lyon inquired, sitting down in the chair nearest to him and placing his right foot on his left knee. "Tell me all about your day."

"At work today someone asked me why you were with me. After all, I'm no longer in a guild and you're a part of one of the highest ranking guilds in all of Fiore. Why would you be with me, an ex-criminal?" Meredy told him as she slumped in the chair across from her husband.

"Meredy…" Lyon began before clearing his throat, "I am with you because I love you. It doesn't matter if you're in a guild or not. What matters is that you're still a powerful mage and you can kick someone's ass if asked. And you're currently raising someone that's going to be very important to me."

Meredy rubbed her swollen stomach with a sad grin. Since she had gotten pregnant, she hadn't been able to go on many missions with her husband, which made her lonely and somewhat depressed. Juvia came around every once in a while, but it made the ex mage sad that everyone else had a job while all she did was sit at home.

"But…" Meredy started, but Lyon silenced her words with a chaste kiss on the lips.

When he broke from her, he smiled kindly and caressed her face with his long fingers. "I don't like any buts other than yours, my dear," he chuckled, and Meredy laughed for the first time in ages. The sound was foreign to her ears, but it felt good to grin and laugh again.

"Besides, little miss Rose Vastia is counting on you," Lyon murmured, and he dropped a kiss on Meredy's belly and brushed his fingertips across the height of it, earning a shudder from Meredy. Her pregnancy had deemed her sensitive to most touches…

The timer beeped on the food then, and Meredy began to serve the meal. Lyon helped by cleaning the dishes when they finished, and together they ended the night by snuggling up and talking about their future together as a family of three.


	12. Back Massages and Bra Straps Part Two

When Natsu heard Lucy's complaint of how terrible the rock climbing mission was for her, he immediately turned to glance at her chest for a moment. He had heard that girls sometimes had back problems with how heavy their chests got, and he knew that she was probably in a lot of pain.

Lucy dropped into a chair and rubbed her shoulders with a groan, and Natsu felt sympathy for the woman. Suddenly, he had an idea.

"Lemme help ya with that, Luce," he said, fingers now itching to touch her creamy skin. He really did want to help his best friend, but her skin felt amazing on his hands. And one day he wanted to touch her and make her feel real good.

Little did he know that that day was today.

Lucy dropped onto the floor so he could sit in the chair to relieve her pain. Cracking his knuckles, Natsu grinned and rested his hands on her shoulders to begin.

As Natsu pushed his fingertips deeply into Lucy's shoulders and kneaded, Lucy let out an illicit moan. Natsu's face reddened, but he continued.

'Shit,' he thought to himself, 'if she keeps making those noises, I don't think I can finish this massage.'

But he had to do it for her. She was his best friend, and she would do the same for her. He just didn't expect her to push her bra straps to the side of her shoulders when he rubbed her back. He saw the pale skin illuminated by the sunlight, and her shirt dipped low. And if he looked at just the right angle, he could see her cleavage…

Natsu shook his head to clear his thoughts and squeezed her shoulders, and Lucy seemed to like what she felt. Her head lolled back softly and she let out a deep exhale.

When he gripped her shoulders and rubbed his thumbs over the knots in her back, her moans quickly became wanting and sexual. Natsu's dick bobbed underneath his pants, and he fought off a groan of his own. If only he could rub it up against her back…

His thoughts turned to something he hadn't let himself think of for a long time: Lucy actually wanting him. Sure, she loved having him around–as a friend. They were close, after all. But as a lover in his mind, she became dominant and somewhat kinky. Natsu's dick rose up once more, and he had to force his hand to continue squeezing her back so he wouldn't masturbate.

"Is something wrong, Natsu?" Lucy asked, her voice husky. Natsu's face was bright red now, and he couldn't risk her turning around and seeing that he was in fact aroused by her.

"No!" he answered, and on accident he pushed down on her back on a knot with force.

He could now smell the wetness pooling at the base of her legs, and she let out a cry that almost made him come on the spot. Lucy whirled around and grasped his wrists, pushing his hands onto her large breasts. Out of instinct, Natsu squeezed and let out a strangled cry. Shit, they were so tempting and squishy! And dammit, did she have to wear such low shirts?

"Oh, Natsu!" Lucy panted, and instantly he pulled his hands back. She looked into his eyes, and Natsu noticed her eyes were now dark and full of lust.

As much as he wanted her in that moment, he knew he had to stop. They were just friends, but obviously Lucy's judgement was clouded for the moment.

When she reached to take his member in her clutches, Natsu immediately jumped out of the chair and ran out without so much as a goodbye.

'What the fuck have I done?' Natsu thought as he ran to his car and turned the ignition on. The engine roared to life and he backed out faster than he did when Erza was chasing him with one of her katanas when he accidentally broke one of her armors.

As he left, Lucy stared out the window in remorse. Natsu didn't even look back.

As he drove, he thought of Lucy. She was his best friend. But now…what were they? More than friends, less than lovers? Was he going completely crazy with the thought that she was maybe aroused by him?

He drove to his apartment quietly, listening to the singer on the radio croon his song about how he wasn't in love, but the sex was excellent.

Natsu shut it off with a fist, practically smashing the radio and cutting his hand with a shard of broken plastic from the screen.

Well, he sure as hell wasn't horny now.


	13. Pairings and Closets

A/N: In honor of National Coming Out Day, a lovely anon requested that I write a few couples coming out of the closet. I'm so proud of everyone that announced to people close to them that they are who they are with confidence. You all are lovely, and I support you with all of my heart. 3

* * *

"Mira, pass me the salt, would ya?" Cana asked the smiling bartender. Mira slid the glass cylinder across the table and walked off to go wash some glasses. Cana admired the sway of Mira's hips and how her ass bounced slightly as she walked. Cana realized she had now put way too much salt on her food, and jutted out her lower lip in annoyance.

"What has you so captivated, Cana?" Levy sat down at the bar and asked. Ever since Levy had found out that Cana loved tarot books, she had become pretty close with the mage. Cana went along with Levy on her escapades to the library, grinning when she saw that Gajeel was hidden behind one of the bookshelves to check out Levy when she was on the ladder.

Levy followed Cana's line of sight directly to Mira's ass, and Cana gave her friend a pleading look.

Cana hadn't been outed as pan yet, and she certainly hadn't told everyone or she and Mira's relationship. Right now it was more of Cana admiring Mira, but Mira had flirted back quite a few times which caused them to have a heavy make out session in the guild hall closet after everyone was gone.

"I knew it," Levy admitted with a smirk, folding her arms across her chest.

"Huh? Whaddaya mean you knew?" Cana answered, taking a drink from her whiskey and a bite from her food, in which she winced at how overly salted it was.

"When you read books on body language and spend the day around hormonal teenagers, you just know," Levy grinned and shook her head slightly.

"You're a hormonal teenager too, ya know. Don't think I haven't seen the googly eyes you and Gajeel give to each other. You guys just need to fuck it out," Cana told her friend honestly, earning a deep flush from the mage sitting beside her.

"Cana! It's not–that's–" Levy sighed before pointing across the room at Natsu and Lucy. "Just look."

Natsu was stealing Lucy's food from her plate and eating it, causing a smack on his pink head. But Natsu didn't seem to mind. It just gave him a better look at the annoyed face he loved so much–he thought she was even cuter when she was irritated. Natsu then smiled at his friend, and Lucy blushed at the cuteness of his smile and started to twirl her hair softly.

"See? That's what a couple in love looks like. And you and Mira are exactly like that in your own way. So I think everyone deserves to know, Cana," Levy smiled at her friend, and Cana relaxed.

She was right. Everyone did deserve to know. And they deserved to know right fuckin' now.

"Everybody listen," Cana yelled, and everyone stopped their eating, drinking and flirting to listen to what the card mage had to say. When she talked, it meant business.

"I need to make an announcement. And I don't want to delay you all fuckin' each other with your eyes, so I'll just say it: I'm pan."

The room became so dead silent that you could hear Happy flapping his wings over to Carla to whisper.

And then the guild erupted in cheers.

"I'm so proud of you, Cana!" Lucy yelled to her friend, leaving Natsu's side to go give the woman a hug. Cana responded with a grope to Lucy's boobs, and half of the men in the guild got nosebleeds.

"I need to say something along with Cana. I'm bisexual," Mirajane admitted, her eyes flicking to her girlfriend. Cana went over and kissed her girlfriend on the cheek, and the whole guild awwed.

"While we're on the topic of this," Freed spoke up, clearing his throat, "I am gay, and Laxus and I are, ah, dating."

Laxus raised a hand. "Bi," he spoke with a deep voice, and uncharacteristically pressed his lips to his boyfriend's head. Freed blushed and smiled up at his boyfriend.

"That gives me a great idea! We have to name the couples in the guild," Mira said as she raised a finger. "Hmm. Freed and Laxus could be 'Fraxus' and Cana and I can be Canajane!" Mira giggled at the silly names.

"And now," Mira announced, "now we just have to make Gajevy, Nalu, Jerza, and Gruvia canon!"

"No!" most of the couples yelled back, and everyone laughed.

Maybe it wasn't a perfect way to come out, but today was the perfect day for it. Surrounded by family and friends, the couples were filled with love for each other and love from their friends.

Today couldn't get any more perfect than this.


	14. Stardust and Memories

He was gone. He was actually gone.

Natsu Dragneel, the man who she had loved for her whole life, was ripped from her at that very moment. He and Acnologia had fired shots at each other at the same time, killing the both of them.

The war was over, but so was Natsu's life.

Lucy knew that there would never be another man like Natsu Dragneel in her life. He was strong, brave, compassionate, blunt, and a little whacky. He was always breaking into her room, she remembered with a smile, and she was always kicking him out. What she wouldn't give for him to come back now and break in the moment with a joke or a loud roar.

Natsu wasn't perfect, obviously. He had left her for a year to become stronger on his own, and Lucy was obviously hurt by this. Her scoffs and blunt words had spoken much more than she could ever say.

But more than anything else, he loved her with all of his heart. And with his dying breaths, he had said

Natsu had confessed to Lucy that he loved her for the first time. Although the words were never spoken before then, Lucy knew.

The gaping hole in his chest began to get larger.

"No! Natsu!" Lucy had said with a scream, running over to hold his hand.

"It's okay, Luce. I'll be fine," Natsu said with his signature smile, and Lucy began crying.

"No, you will not be fine! You'll die in just a few minutes!" Lucy said, and then began calling for Wendy with a fiery passion she didn't know she had. She had to save him!

Natsu simply touched her chin with his fingertips and pulled her close, touching her forehead to his softly. Lucy began crying as she remembered the last time she had seen him do something like this. It was hours before the future version of herself passed away. But now, it was this version of Natsu in this timeline, and he was dying.

Natsu pulled back and stared her in the eyes with a smile. Then, as the hole in his chest slowly got bigger, he opened his mouth to speak.

"I love you, Lucy Heartfilia. You are the best thing that ever happened to me. I'm so glad I met you in Hargeon all those years ago."

"Natsu! Please, stay!" Lucy wailed, grasping at his chest. But it was too late. He was already starting to glow and turn into starlight.

"I'll tell your mom hello for you," he said, and then in his last seconds he pulled her close into a kiss that would remain in her memories forever.

His lips were chapped and rough, but tasted like he smelled. They were warm just like Natsu always was, and Lucy's tears rolled down and Natsu tasted them on his lips.

"Goodbye, Luce," Natsu told her with a wave, and Lucy sobbed as Natsu disappeared completely.

Lucy cried out her agony, and Gray came over and put a hand on Lucy's shoulder.

As Lucy sobbed, she put her head on Gray's chest. Juvia watched, but did not say anything. She knew that Gray was hers and that her friend was just in distress.

"He's really gone, Gray," Lucy told him, looking into his eyes. Lucy was shocked to find that Gray was also crying out his pain, and they held each other and comforted each other.

The crying seemed to go on for hours. Each guild member showed Lucy their condolences and gave their own share of tears. Erza was resting in Jellal's arms, and even Gajeel's eyes became a little watery. The Raijinshuu came to talk to Lucy to share memories with her, and Laxus even made an appearance for a few moments. Gildarts also cried along with Lucy and told her that he considered her like his daughter like he considered Natsu a son.

"He…he really loved you, you know that?" Gray sighed, letting go of his tears for the last time. He had to be strong for Natsu and take care of Lucy like Natsu would if he were still here.

Lucy considered Gray's words were weighty for Gray, and Lucy knew that he meant them. He wasn't much of a crier, and even in these few seconds where he did cry he was always strong. Lucy always admired that about her fellow guildmate and teammate.

Natsu would want her to be strong. For her, for Fairy Tail, and for everyone around her. And he would always want her to know of his love for her, and he would want her to spread it to the rest of the people she knew.

"Yeah. I know," Lucy sniffed, rubbing her swollen belly in remorse. She and Natsu's child would never know their father. She still had yet to know the sex of the baby, but she would love it no matter what it was. It was Natsu's child, and she would always love the child no matter what.

As years passed, Lucy never married. When their child, Igneel, began asking about his father, Lucy merely smiled and told her son that he was a man of integrity, strength, and love.

And she would never forget the man who she met and fell in love with at first sight all of those years ago.


	15. Battles and Reunions

"Gray!" Natsu yelled with a growl, swiping at his guildmate. He was overcome with something with END's feelings and thoughts, and nothing was to stop him. He needed to fight for Lucy. His thoughts flashed back to seeing her dead, and he became even more enraged.

Natsu's claws hooked on Gray's side, and Gray cried out in pain. He pushed his fist to his hand and pushed Natsu away in an ice geyser.

"Natsu, you bastard!" Gray yelled, "You're END, and my father told me to defeat you! I promised him I would, and I don't back down on promises!"

The two launched attacks at each other, their battle slowly becoming more intense by the moment. Gray had frozen Natsu's right arm, and Natsu's howl of pain echoed in the wind. Natsu's fire had scorched Gray's legs and singed his hair, and Gray practically growled when the flames licked higher.

"Stop!" A voice came from a distance, and Natsu whirled around.

"Lu…cy?" He said, confused. She looked beautiful in an outfit reminiscent of the one they first met in, and already he felt his flames already starting to go out. Natsu felt a weight at his back suddenly, and heard her voice come in sobs.

"It's okay. I'm alive. You can stop now," she told him, and his flames went out quickly as he fell to the floor with her holding him. The two sighed as they held each other.

The world was alright now for the two of them, but Gray looked out to where he came. Juvia was still dead, and Gray would never get over that.

He never got to say goodbye. All he has told her was that he would take her feelings more seriously now, but she had died.

"Juvia…," he sighed, tears dropping out of his eyes. He had lost her for the last time.

But Juvia was not lost. She came supported by Erza and Wendy after the healing took place, and Gray ran into her arms and lifted her up in the air, kissing her. Juvia almost melted into a puddle on the spot, and Gray's flush could be seen from where Natsu and Lucy were resting.

"Juvia finally got her kiss," Lucy said forlornly, and Natsu looked at her.

"Do ya want one of those, Luce?" he asked her with a cheeky grin.

"What? No! I mean, yes, it would be nice, but… mmph!" Lucy was cut off by Natsu's lips meeting with her own.

Their kisses were sweet. The demon and devil slayer were reunited with their lovers, and there was no way they were letting them out of their sight now.


	16. Writing and Messages

Lucy tapped on her follower count with a sigh, and she smiled when she saw she had gained a new follower. She was happy to gain any followers at all–except if they were porn blogs. Ever since she had started drawing Rave Master art, her follower account had gone up, but not by a whole lot. It had stayed stagnant at 250, but now it was 251.

'salamanderdragon' was the url of the new follower, and she clicked on the theme out of curiosity. Lucy read through the description. He was a male a little older than she was, and he had selfies up on his theme.

His theme was completely black with curling flames which tickled the screen in a gif, and the cursor was a small flickering flame. Lucy tapped on the selfies and was shocked at what she saw.

He was a tall rose haired man who had penetrating gray green eyes with a hint of teal, and she was stunned by his fashion sense as well. He wore hoodies most of the time, but he did have one of him dressed up in a suit next to a short woman with white-silver hair. His girlfriend, she thought as her stomach dropped.

Lucy stopped herself from thinking so. She didn't know him at all, so why was her stomach dropping? She sighed and decided to stop freaking out. However, when she scrolled up to the description again, it said that he was single.

She found that he was a fanfiction writer. And a good one at that. His smut and fluff was to die for, and she was surprised that he was so good at smut even though he was a guy. Hours seemed to go by like minutes as she read, and she giggled as she read through the fanfiction. As she scrolled to the top of the blog, she realized something she hadn't before: that requests were open for fanfiction.

'Should I send him an ask?' she thought, and then steeled her nerves and decided to go for it.

"Your writing was great! Could you possibly write me a Let x Julia AU?" she asked, her fingers shaking while typing. She pressed send, waiting for the person behind the screen to respond.

"Lucy, could you unload the dishwasher for me?" Her mother yelled, and Lucy hopped up.

"I'll be right there, mom!"

When Lucy was finished, she saw that there was an answered ask in her activity. Squealing, Lucy clicked on the ask she had sent.

'Hey! Your blog seems pretty great too. An Letlia AU coming right up!' He had answered, and Lucy giggled quite a bit while reading the fanfiction. It was fluffy and cute and also had an edge of sexual tension in the middle which she loved. The end left her grinning like a freak, and so Lucy wondered if she should send the person a message.

'You might make a new friend. You never know,' Lucy thought, and she steeled her shaking nerves.

She tapped the message button and began to type up what would be a nice message. But when she pressed send, she looked through it one more time and gasped.

She had sent, "Your writing is really great! And so are you! I want to get to know you more!"

Crap! What was he going to think?! How could she be so damn stupid?!

Lucy ran a hand through her hair and began to scroll through her dash, reblogging a few things to calm her nerves. Surely he wouldn't reply to an awkward message like that…

Once she had liked another fanfiction of her friend Levy's and reblogged it, she heard a familiar beeping noise from her computer. Lucy shrieked and fell out of her chair. He had responded!

Lucy told her mother she was okay when she popped her head in to her room. As her mother headed back down the stairs, Lucy looked at the message, her heart pounding in her chest.

"Hey! I'd definitely be up to getting to know you more! Maybe we can do a collab sometime?"

She could practically hear his personality through his words. She shivered and giggled at his response. He was lively, that was for sure. She typed on her laptop with ease now, feeling calmer now about talking to him.

"Yes! I will definitely do a fan art of your Let x Julia fanfiction! I would love to do that for you! Talk soon! By the way, my name is Lucy."

A few moments later, he had replied.

"Hey Lucy! I'm Natsu. Nice to meet ya! I think we'll be a great team."

She had made a great friend that day. And unbeknownst to Lucy, he had made a post about it and her follower count had gone up to 300 overnight.


	17. Awkwardness and Appetizers

Mest wasn't the best at planning parties. Of course, his girlfriend was. She was talented at charming people, and he definitely was not. He was great at fights, but eating politely and talking at the same time was something that never came naturally to him.

"It's easy. All you do is pop the little pig in a blanket in your mouth," Lisanna demonstrated, picking up the small hotdog wrapped in a pancake and threw it in her mouth, "and then you just cover your mouth while you eat! Easy peasy!"

Mest thought that it did not look 'easy peasy'. But if his girlfriend was going to be happy with the result, he would try it.

He was told that they were called 'hors d'oeuvres' by Lisanna before she sauntered away to get ready. He tested the word a few times and decided he didn't like the taste. French sounded quite pompous to him.

"Horse de orves," he tasted the word in his mouth with a shake of his head, and Lisanna popped her head around the corner.

"Hors d'oeuvres, honey," she said with a dazzling smile, one that made his heart beat in his chest.

A few hours later, the party began but didn't pick up until about an hour after the party started. That was when Cana and Mira arrived with the booze, and everyone livened up and relaxed quite a bit afterwards. It was the first party Fairy Tail had thrown together along with Lamia Scale and Mermaid Heel, and everyone was dressed to the nines. The buzzing of chatter filled Mest and Lisanna's home, and Lisanna was making more appetizers in the kitchen with a smile on her face.

After chatting with a drunk Kagura, Mest decided to try the trick Lisanna told him in front of Jellal. The quiet man wasn't one to judge and would be polite no matter what happened.

Mest walked up to his friend who was entertaining Meredy by telling her a joke. Meredy's cheeks were flushed, and Mest realized with a start that Jellal's were also. In the distance, Natsu held back a yelling Erza from smacking Jellal on the head.

Mest threw back some alcohol from a passing Juvia and popped the pig in a blanket in his mouth and continued en route to Jellal and Meredy.

A building cough began growing in his throat, and Jellal looked to his friend with concern once he reached him. Mest began trying to breathe for air, and took a drink of his champagne to aid himself. The alcohol only served to burn down his throat, and Mest's coughs became ever louder.

Jellal pounded on Mest's back a few times to help his friend, and Meredy had her hand over her mouth in concern and stayed at Mest's side. The coughs from Mest came out loud, and everyone turned around to look at him as he hacked and pounded on his chest. Mest sank to his knees as a few more people came rushing over to him.

A few moments later, the piece of hot dog lodged in Mest's throat came out onto the floor, and the alcohol fizzled beside it. Everyone turned to look at the food and then back to Mest to see if he was alright.

Mest straightened up and fixed his tie, and Jellal patted him on the back with his eyebrows raised.

"Are you alright?" Jellal asked, and Mest nodded.

Mest then turned to address the crowd that was now gathered around him. Lisanna was looking at her boyfriend with a look of shock and concern, but also slight amusement. She knew that the party would get to him somehow.

"Would you like some Horse de orves?


	18. Way of the Stars

Natsu was oblivious to his own love until the very last second. And in that second, she became his constellation. She became an ethereal being, dancing there in the moonlight as he watched. Twirling, skipping, laughing, humming, she made her way into his heart without a moment's remorse.

She was a living, breathing star it seemed, and he was a demon who was destined to kill people. What kind of future could they ever hope to have?

As Natsu watched his beautiful starlet dance, his heart filled with compassion. He was designed to kill, and she was created to bring life.

She twirled effortlessly, and with a giggle, she wrapped her arms around herself and jumped onto the floor without a care. She was so stunning, his bright star. Yet he was so unkempt when he revealed his demon form.

Lucy's voice trilled in song as she pushed herself up, and Natsu could only stare in shock. Her voice was as gorgeous as the rest of her. Oh, how he wished to grasp her in his arms and sing and dance with her! He would join her in unison and they would end their duet with a kiss.

But his heart sank as he realized they would never be together. His eyes began to water, and she did not see his pain. She was carefree and full of joy at the moment, oblivious to this man who loved her and whose life would never be entwined with hers.

She was a star in this life, and he was the demon that would one day end her dancing and song.


	19. Lies and Pizza

Ajeel knew this pizza was going to be the best damn pizza this dude ever tasted. He had made it, which meant it had to be good. Rapping on the door quickly, he leaned against the doorway with the pizza in one hand and the soda in the other.

A tall, white haired man answered the door, pushing up his glasses to stare down at Ajeel. Ajeel merely raised his eyebrows at the man's icy stare and straightened his back. If it was a fight that he wanted, then so be it.

"How much?" the man asked, pulling out his wallet and rifling through it.

"$29.41," Ajeel answered, and the man scoffed.

"That much for just some pizza? This better be the best food I've ever tasted," the man snorted, pulling out the cash with a tip and handing it to Ajeel. The statement irked Ajeel more than he cared to admit, so he came up with a solution.

"Listen, buddy, my pizzas are the best, so if you don't like my pizza, then it's free," Ajeel scoffed at the statement.

The man merely smiled and opened the box and took a slice. Biting into it, he chewed.

And chewed.

And then, finally…

A shake of the head clarified what he felt.

"Fine, then. Have a great fucking day," Ajeel rolled his eyes and walked off. Ajeel could swear he heard a slight chuckle, but he was already halfway down the sidewalk.

Invel had lied. It was the best damn pizza he had ever eaten in his life.


	20. Photosynthesis and Colds

"I can't leave Gonzales with you!" Lucy said, stomping her foot.

"Why not, Luce? I keep Happy alive, don't I? That means I can totally take care of a plant!" Natsu said, grinning. Lucy pouted at Natsu's words and picked up Gonzales to show to him.

"It's not just a plant, Natsu. Gonzales is a magical plant!" Lucy said, tapping the pot with her fingernail.

"Lucy, I knew you were a weirdo, but I didn't think you were that much of a weirdo," Natsu said, eyeing her suspiciously.

"Look," Lucy said, biting off the word with a growl. Natsu stared at the plant, and a few seconds later a small drop poured from a leaf. It was purple and sparkly, and it looked like a universe was trapped inside of it. Natsu gazed at it with interest, and Lucy tapped the drop from her finger onto the cut he had just gotten from a fight with Gray.

With amazement, Natsu watched as the single drop covered the cut and shimmered for a moment, spreading itself over the dried blood and deepness. A few seconds later, the cut was completely gone and Natsu felt like the back of his hand was softer than normal.

"Whoa!" Natsu yelled, rubbing his hands together.

"It's a healing plant. And it's a natural moisturizer!" Lucy pointed her finger in the air with a grin.

"Only you would find a plant that would be as girly as that, Luce," Natsu pouted.

"Hey!" Lucy said with a shout, and then looked into his eyes. "Do you think you'll be able to actually take care of it, Natsu? This plant needs to be watered six times a day and uses special medicine to help with it's healing powers…" Lucy trailed off, hoping that Natsu would get the hint. She really needed to leave for her next mission, but if no one was going to take care of Gonzales…

"You can count on me, Luce!" Natsu grinned, and Lucy blushed at how cute his smile was. He always smiled like that, but this time it brought a ka-thump to her chest that she didn't understand. Maybe she was coming down with a cold or something.

"I'll trust you, Natsu," Lucy said tentatively, and then grabbed her bag and began to go out the door. "And while you're here, you can stay in my aparmtne, okay?"

"Sweet! I'll get to sleep in your bed! And the best part about your bed is that it smells like you, Luce!" Natsu chuckled, and Lucy blushed again. She really was coming down with a cold…

"Thank you, Natsu. I'll see you in a few days, alright?" Lucy said, opening the door to her apartment.

"See ya later, Luce!" Natsu said with a wave, and she shut the door behind her and began to go to the train station to get to Crocus for her mission.

If only Gonzales could heal colds… maybe then Lucy would feel better about the strange redness of her cheeks and her heart thumping in her chest. Hopefully this mission would help her sort through these confusing thoughts.


	21. Confections and Crushes

"Shh, Luce, we gotta be quiet!" Natsu whispered while tiptoeing across the hallway to Igneel and Layla's room.

"Never thought you'd be the one to tell me to be quiet, Natsu," Lucy deadpanned while following her husband. Natsu only chuckled i n response at his wife's quip.

The two opened the door quietly and tiptoed in, careful not to make a sound. Reachi ng for the closet doorhandle, Natsu's breathing was shallow as he nimbly grasped Igneel and Layla's shared bag for the candy.

"Got it!" Natsu stage-whispered and immediately after was shushed by his wife. Lucy wore an angry expression on her face which caused Natsu to think that she was cute. His wife was adorable always, but when she was angry it was intensified more. Usually when he said those words aloud it would be the last thing he said to her for a while before he was promptly Lucy-kicked out of the house so Lucy could write out her feelings.

Igneel mumbled in his sleep, and Layla smiled at the sound of her father's voice. She had always been a daddy's girl, and Natsu knew that as well. He loved Igneel and Layla equally, but there was a special spot in a father's heart for their little girl. Igneel reached out his arms for his mom to hold him, and Lucy silently picked him up and rocked him back to sleep.

"It's okay. Mommy and Daddy are just going to spend some time alone, okay? We'll see you in the morning, my Igneel," Lucy whispered, dropping a kiss on Igneel's head before softly pushing him back into his bunk bed. His sister was being rubbed on the head by her father, and Natsu bent over to look at his son.

"Look at em'! We made those, Luce. Isn't that cool?" Natsu mused noislessly, and Igneel began to snore.

"Yes," Lucy said, a slight flush covering her face. It was in times like this where she remembered how much she loved the man who brought her to Fairy Tail when they were teens. He had finally confessed his love to her ten minutes after the war between Zeref and the Spriggans was won, and Lucy had accepted his confession with a kiss and a smile.

A year later, they married under the Sakura tree that Natsu had once floated down the river by Lucy's old apartment, and a month after that Lucy moved into Natsu and Happy's home. Natsu had rebuilt the sign that said 'Natsu and Happy' to read, 'The Dragneels' once he found that Lucy was pregnant with Layla. He was a romantic, that one, and she found that out when he cradled their little baby girl so softly in his arms. The man who could take out an army was holding Layla like she was the most fragile thing in the world, and it made Lucy's heart warm.

Two years later, Lucy had found that she was pregnant again, and Natsu had practically jumped for joy when he found the baby was a male. He was so excited. Layla was even more excited for a baby and wished for a sister, although Igneel had been born months later. The young girl still loved her brother very much, but secretly Layla hoped for a baby sister sometime in the future.

"C'mon, we gotta get out of here before Igneel wakes up again," Natsu said while grabbing Lucy's hand, and Lucy's heart beat faster just like it did when she was in the golden plains of heaven when he had grasped her hand like he did just then.

Wordlessly they made their way to their own room, where they pigged out on chocolate and all kinds of confections. Their bellies sufficiently full a few minutes later, Natsu and Lucy laid on their bed rubbing their stomachs.

"I'm glad we got stuffed so quickly. The kids wouldn't be happy if we ate all of their candy," Lucy said, popping a saltwater taffy into her mouth with a grin.

"So what did you say about that alone time? I remember hearing a certain fact about women and chocolate," Natsu gri nned, lunging forward to tickle his wife.

"Natsu!" Lucy laughed, and the two giggled as they tickled each other and fell into one another's arms. Lucy flushed as Natsu held her, and Natsu leaned in to kiss his wife softly.

The rest of the night was spent working off the chocolate in a way that rivaled Larcade's magic.


	22. Vampires and Priests

"What do you think?" Erza asked, stepping up to Jellal in high heeled boots. The clicking of the shoes only amplified his interest as he lifted his head up from the book he was reading. It happened to be the bible, as he was dressed up as a priest that evening for the party that they were attending at the guild.

Jellal nearly swallowed his tongue as he looked at his wife. She was wearing a very low-cut purple dress that was brought together at the neck with a chain, and she sported magical fangs that she had requipped into along with the dress. Her makeup look was dark and smoky, and her lips a light pink to balance out the makeup. She had drawn little lines of blood down her fangs to make the look more vampirish, and with a gulp Jellal hoped that he would be biting into him sometime soon as well.

"You look lovely as always, Erza," he said, reaching up to kiss her hand. Her nails were painted in blood red, and he desired nothing more for them to be scratching down his back. His face tinged red as she hooked a finger on his rosary with a wolfish smile.

"Thank you. You look nice as well," she told him, and her smile became much more human then. His flush was now because she was cute, but there was still that lingering lust in the back of his mind.

"Let us leave to go to the party," she said, pulling him along. As much as he liked that, there was something he had to do first. Grabbing ahold of her hips, he spun her so she was now facing him.

"Jellal-what–" Erza said, but Jellal held a finger to her lips and shushed her.

"Here and now, I must commit one more sin," he said, reciting the line that he had said before he destroyed Neinhart to save her all those years ago. After the war was over, he had proposed to her and she had chuckled and asked what his fiancee would think of him proposing to another girl. Jellal just chuckled and told her that she was his fiancee now, and that there would be no other girl for him. They had married in the woods privately, with only a few friends in attendance that they trusted to keep it a secret.

Jellal pressed his lips to Erza's that night, and it started a sin that lasted many hours. They completely forgot about the party, which incited some teasing from the guild when they came back to the guild hall next morning with hickeys and scratches all over them.


	23. Studying and Nose Flicks

"What are you doing here, nerd girl?" Natsu asked, slamming his palm down onto Lucy's desk. Lucy scoffed down at her book. She had just found an error in the printing, which was annoying enough, but what was really grating at her nerves was the annoying male glaring down at her.

Lucy was studying in the library for her next exam when she heard his hand slam down on her desk. Her day wasn't going well, so she decided to study in her favorite place to calm herself down. With some ethereal music playing on her iPod, she was finally getting the hang of the math homework.

At least, until he showed up.

She tipped her head up, staring into his eyes over her black glasses and taking out her earbud. Her eye doctor had prescribed them just for reading, but Lucy liked them so much that she got used to seeing with them even when she wasn't reading. They had only added to her nerdy look, and her ruffled uniform blouse and skirts that she wore usually didn't help either. Lucy narrowed her eyes at him, and Natsu leaned in closer to sneer at the girl.

As chocolate gazed on sage, Natsu's heart raced more than it ever did before. She was gorgeous, and she was wearing some mascara today that she didn't don often. Her eyes were especially bright today, and her brown eyes were so deep he felt himself get lost in them. Still, he had to ignore his thumping heart and skyrocketing pulse. He wouldn't know what to do with himself if she knew.

"I'm studying. You should be too with your latest exam coming up," Lucy said, lifting a finger to flip his nose. Natsu rubbed his nose in annoyance and growled. Lucy smirked for a moment before confusion crossed her face.

"Wait a minute. We aren't studying together today. What are you doing here?" she asked, tipping her head to the side in interest. Natsu's heart thumped a little faster than it did before. Shit, she figured it out!

In attempt to appear nonchalant, Natsu threaded his hands behind his head and looked to the ground. He couldn't let her know what he was here for!

"Tch. Why do you have to know? I bet you've gotta know everything. Careful, your head could get even bigger," Natsu grinned after the insult and patted her on the head. Lucy pouted as he tapped her on the head. She wasn't a little girl!

Lucy's pout turned to a smirk as she put two and two together. He was here unannounced and happened to find her in a library full of people. He was seeking her out!

"Natsu Dragneel, I think you want to spend time with me!" Lucy exclaimed, her smirk growing larger as she crossed her arms across her generous chest. Natsu's eyes darted to the uncovered creamy flesh, and he stared for a few seconds before looking away with a flush of embarrassment.

"Don't get used to it, Heartfilia. I can barely stand you," he said, looking anywhere but her eyes. He knew if he looked into them that he'd be a goner.

Natsu knew that they were slowly forming a relationship of their own, and his genius plan to get her to become his tutor was in action. Now all he had to do was ask her out.

And that was going to happen today.


	24. Blacksmiths and Warriors

Just so no one is confused, this is the same story as I wrote on my tumblr for my friend impracticaldemon. Happy Birthday, my friend! I hope you had a fabulous day :)

* * *

Gajeel chomped on his apple while waiting for the sword to cool, swallowing the fruit core and all. His work was almost finished, and he was about to meet the warrior that he made the sword for. It had come as a request from his friend Juvia, and she had not said who it was for. It was awfully tiny for a warrior's sword…

Only but a few more minutes and the warrior would show up. If they were on time, Gajeel thought with a huff. Warriors, especially the hyperactive ones that wanted to charge into battle immediately, had a problem being late. Hopefully this one wouldn't be. Gajeel didn't want to waste his precious time waiting for someone to pay for his hours of work.

As Gajeel waited, he sheathed the sword in the leather scabbard he had crafted. It had only taken him about three days to make the scabbard; his father taught him how to create scabbards as a source of commission as well. Hopefully the person would like that as well. Thick silver swirls covered the scabbard in an intricate pattern reminiscent of a celtic cross, and it ended at the sheath. Gajeel grinned as he stared at his craftsmanship. He was a fine blacksmith if he did say so himself.

Three loud thumps sounded at the door, and Gajeel turned with a grunt. Time to meet the person that was purchasing his work. He was ready to make a sale.

"Can I help ya?" he asked as he opened the door, and he had to hold back laughter at what he saw.

A short figure covered in a cloak was standing there with a bag of gold in hand and the other outstretched, and Gajeel snickered. The shortstack knew what they wanted, he'd give them that much. With a soft chuckle he turned to grab the sword and handed it to them. In a flourish, the sword was being inspected with what Gajeel thought were careful eyes.

"I made that over the course of eight days. It took me a while to make the steel, and Juvia said ya wanted somethin' rather pretty. I dunno why a warrior would want something like that, but to each their own. Anyway, it's 29,000," Gajeel said, scratching the back of his neck. He didn't know why, but the person made him nervous. It was like their eyes, though unseen, were always watching him.

And then the sword was at his throat. Gajeel gulped before grunting once more. He couldn't let the person know he was nervous.

"Take it easy. I know how to wield one of those too, ya know," he said, pushing it away with a hand. A soft stream of blood gushed from his fingers, but he paid it no mind. Right now, he had a job to do: stay alive. In a flourish he pushed the person back, and the wind behind him whipped the hood away from the person's face.

His eyes widened when he saw who the person was. Their face was unlike any other warrior he'd seen-it was feminine. The warrior was a woman.

Her eyes were bright but filled with rage, and Gajeel felt himself get lost in them for a few seconds before refocusing. No wonder the sword was so tiny-she was short as hell!

"I don't think you could hurt me with that thing, Shrimp," Gajeel grinned, his voice teasing.

"Really? We'll have to put that to the test, then," she said, and instantly he was knocked down. Whoa, she was fast! Faster than him, and that was saying something. Despite his hulking size, Gajeel was one of the quickest warriors and competed in quite a few duels throughout the years. And to think that this tiny person had him beat…

The sword was once again at his throat, and she was standing above him now. Her figure was a little more defined now that he was looking up at her. She didn't have the curves like he usually liked, but she definitely had nice hips. Gajeel smirked up at her when he noticed this, and the woman's gaze became fiercer. The sword was pushed even closer to his throat, and Gajeel gulped for the second time that day. How could she make him so nervous?

"Lower the price," the woman said, her voice a dull murmur. She meant business. But Gajeel was all about business, and if that's what she wanted, he would just have to raise the prices.

"What if I say no?" Gajeel taunted, and he found the sword now close enough to cut.

"I don't think you want to find out," the woman growled, and Gajeel smirked. She had pulled a fast one on him.

"Fine. I'll raise it to 20,000," Gajeel said, and the woman grinned. Her smile was gorgeous, and it only solidified his next statement. "If you go on a walk with me to the bar," he finished, and her smile dropped.

"What makes you think I'll agree to that, blacksmith?" she asked, her voice again dull.

"I think you'll agree to it once I say that I'll take the sword back if you don't say yes," Gajeel replied, and a few beats passed. Gajeel's heartbeat sped up. What if she said no and sliced him in the throat? She definitely had the speed for it.

Finally, the woman sheathed her sword in her cloak and sighed. Reaching out a tiny hand, she smiled at Gajeel. "I think we'll get along just fine."

She helped him up, and he was impressed with how much strength she had. Granted, he had to use some of his own strength to get himself off the ground, but she was strong for being five foot nothing.

"Off we go, then!" she said, whipping off her cloak and leaving it there. She was dressed in all brown like her cloak, and she wore a white shirt and tied brown tunic. Her pants were the same brown, and she wore short boots. A silver pendant drew his eyes to her middle, and Gajeel tore his eyes up to her face.

She was now smiling kindly, and his heart skipped a beat at how adorable it was. Damn, she really had him hooked now. She knew how to wield a knife and had the most gorgeous smile.

Maybe he should take requests more often.


	25. Scarves and Celestials

Warning: Spoilers for chapter 512! I suggest you read the chapter first before you read this. Thanks!

* * *

"Anna Heartfilia made your scarf for you. She made it out of Igneel's scales," Rogue said, shrugging like he was saying something that wouldn't alter the course of his friend's life. Rogue never really was one for dramatics.

"Waddaya mean, Anna or whatever her name is made my scarf? And why the hell does she look like Lucy? Where is Lucy, anyway? An' I didn't ask for you to come in my heart like this!" Natsu said, his cheeks now tinged pink. How was Lucy going to wake him up? And why was Rogue here of all people?

"And I didn't ask for you to ask all of those damn questions," Rogue snarled, his red eyes alighting. This was the thanks he got when he revealed something that his friend hadn't known before? Some friend Natsu was.

Natsu sighed, letting the tension fall off his shoulders. Seeing his parents again and Lucy's ancestor really freaked him out more than he'd admit. He rubbed a hand on his face from top to bottom, clearing his head.

"Sorry, Rogue," Natsu said after a moment, and Rogue offered a small smile in reply.

"It's alright," Rogue said, his voice returning to normal. There was no use getting so worked up about a small thing such as a few questions. After all, he must have a few inquiries. Rogue still had a few of his own…

"So…how am I going to wake up from this mess?" Natsu asked, breaking Rogue's thoughts while entwining his hands behind his head and staring at his friend.

"I don't know," Rogue answered truthfully, and his eyes turned toward the ground quickly. There was something he wasn't telling him.

There was silence for a few moments, and both dragonslayers reveled in the quiet. Rogue was in thought, and Natsu was waiting on his response.

"There's still one more person that is in your heart that you need to spend time with. They will tell you everything you need to know about your future. Zeref told you about your past, Sting and I told you about your present, and it's up to her to tell you about your future," Rogue said evenly, meeting Natsu's eyes now.

'Her?' Natsu wondered, his eyes snapping to Rogue's now. Natsu didn't know many girls he was that close to other than Erza and Lucy. He really hoped that it wasn't Erza talking to him about his future.

But if it was Lucy…well…

"I'll leave it to her. Farewell, Natsu," Rogue raised a hand, and he disappeared within a blink of an eye.

Before Natsu could even blink, he heard a voice that he would recognize anywhere. His best friend was singing.

He turned slowly on his heel, listening to her melodious voice carry over to him. He could listen to her sing all day. Her voice was so beautiful, and so was she.

Lucy was clothed in a flowing white gown like a Greek goddess, the v-neck stopping at the height of her breasts. The shimmering fabric popped against her pale skin, and her hair was tied up in a ponytail just like the day he had met her. A brown belt accentuated her small waist, and she wore sandals on her feet and flowers in her hair. Natsu practically swallowed his tongue when he saw her. Thankfully she wasn't close enough to hear his breathing grow shallow. How gorgeous she was!

She came closer, and the song grew louder. It was a beautiful aria speaking of love, and Natsu wanted to listen forever. His constellation was so bright tonight that he wanted to savor every part of her.

When she finally reached him, her song ended. Lucy smiled, her grin lighting up her entire face. Natsu felt his heart warm and his pulse quicken. Her smile was his favorite part about her. She could wear clothes that showed off every asset she possessed, but if she was smiling none of it mattered. She was his Lucy, and he would treasure her forever.

"Natsu," she said, her voice soft and full of hope, "Let me show you our future."


	26. Roars and Rampages

"Bend your knees, and then put your grubby hands on em'," Gajeel said, and he wasn't just teasing his kids for kicks–all three sets of hands were dirtier than Gajeel had ever seen them. Though they did just play in the mud for a break…

The small child lifted his head and let out a roar that was deemed mighty in the twins' father's eyes, and to show his appreciation, Gajeel fell over in mock surprise.

"Oh no! The iron dragon has blasted my ears!" he said, covering his ears with his hands, dirtying his skin.

"Now I will hit you with the Iron Dragon's club, you monster!" the girl twin rose up from her sitting position, and their father winced. She was actually good at magic.

Bracing himself, Gajeel lifted himself to his full height and smirked down at her. "Is that so, little girl?"

"Yeah, and then I'll take you home to mommy and she'll cook you up in a stew!" she said, raising a tiny fist in excitement.

"Not if I tickle you first!" Gajeel yelled, and the twins yelped and ran away in opposite directions.

Gajeel laughed and ran after the girl first, scooping her up in his arms when he got to her.

"Catch him, daddy!" the small girl yelled, and soon he had his son in his arms. He tickled them until they cried out of laughter and begged him to stop. When he finally halted, the two looked mischievously at their father with glints in their eyes.

"Tickle attack!" the two yelled, tackling their father in a flurry of tiny fingers. Now it was Gajeel's turn to laugh, and he uncharacteristically squirmed about for a moment before kissing both of his kid's heads.

"Good job, ya little munchkins. I'm proud of ya both," he said, nuzzling them close.

"Thanks, dad," they both said, kissing his cheeks.

If only he had known years ago when he first joined Fairy Tail that he would become so soft.

"Dinner!" Levy yelled, popping her head out the door of their cabin.

"All right!" the three yelled, running inside and enjoying a meal as a family.


	27. Paintings and Stars

Juvia's tongue poked out as she concentrated on drawing the sparkles on the smallest snowflake in her painting, her wrist steady and her hand soft. She didn't want to get carpal tunnel so soon right before the big fair. If her elbows and wrists were shot, she wouldn't be able to unveil her most prized piece, Winter's Slumber.

The snowflakes were individually detailed, and the lake shimmered in the painting as if it were real. She had put a coating over the lake to make it reflective like a mirror, but it still looked like paint. The trees were a soft emerald, and the bright sun softly peeked through the white winter clouds. Juvia was quite proud of her work. After all, she had worked on it for four months!

As she let the pieces set for a few nights, she hoped that an art curator was there. Then her pieces could finally get the fame they deserved. Everyone in her little family of friends said that the twenty two year old was the best artist that they had seen–although they could just be being kind for her sake. Juvia had won many awards for her art in both high school and art school, and it puffed up her pride quite a lot.

However, since she graduated a year ago she had not gotten much recognition. She had scheduled many interviews with famed artists and they had told her that her artistry was 'ho hum' and 'needed a little work'. Their words deflated the woman's pride, and she had slowly made less and less art. Her depression and anxiety sunk in, telling her with words that she knew in her heart were twisted that she would never be enough. And she believed them.

That is, until a certain day dawned. Juvia had opened her windows to see dust on her shelves that she hadn't seen before and noticed that the scene out her window was quite beautiful indeed. She quickly grabbed an easel to paint and felt a rush of motivation that she hadn't felt before. As the seasons changed, she continued to work on the piece with cups of hot chocolate and cider abounding and lots of sleepless nights.

Finally, she was ready to debut Winter's Slumber at the fair that conveniently happened right when her depression seemed to start going away. She had gone to a psychiatrist and gotten some antidepressants, and although it didn't take away all of her feelings of hopelessness, she felt a little more feeling come back into her heart than before.

As she slept the night before the fair, Juvia smiled as she hoped that it would be her time to shine.

* * *

"Juvia made this to understand her depression more. She was in a bad spot, Juvia was, and she wanted to feel something again. It was at the moment that she made this that she felt at her best. Juvia…Juvia hopes that someone will love this piece as much as she does and feel hope from it as well."

The words rang out into the crowd, and the only sound that came from the audience was a light cough from someone that was sick and a baby crying. Juvia's face burned, and she wanted to bury her face in her hands.

How could she screw up this badly? She worked so hard, so long for something that wouldn't come to fruition. She shouldn't have tried at all. She was worthless, hopeless, and her art was terrible and she wanted to just go home–

"$2,000," a man's voice rang out, and Juvia gasped as the most handsome man she had ever seen in her short life stepped forward to look her in the eyes.

His inky locks were gelled back but still wild, and he wore a dark suit with a red tie. His eyes were dark and stormy like the night, and Juvia saw turmoil within him that she had never seen in another soul. It urged her to understand him, and she could see that he was a man that was misunderstood quite often. Her eyes grew wide as he smiled sadly, and his smile brought tears to her eyes.

Juvia knew that this was an auction, and if anyone else wanted to get the piece they could.

One moment passed.

Then two.

Hope grew in her chest, and the auctioneer announced it sold to the man in the suit. Juvia smiled and daintily grasped her piece in her hands, softly rubbing her finger over the little watermark. This was the last time she would hold the piece.

The auction went on, and Juvia stepped down the platform and handed the man the piece.

"This is Juvia's masterpiece. Please take care of it!" she said, slamming her eyes shut and pushing it into the man's hands.

He took it from her with a soft smile, and then leaned towards her.

"Nice to meet you, Juvia. I'm Gray Fullbuster, and I want to feature your art in my museum if you will let me," he said with a smirk, and Juvia gasped for the second time today.

And for the second time that day, tears sprung to her eyes. She finally found someone that appreciated her art. The feeling was indescribable. It was new for sure, but she liked the feeling.

And it was a feeling she would have to get used to, because Gray asked her out a few days later for coffee to talk about her work. He liked the sparkle in her eye when she explained different brushes or colors, and he enjoyed her vivacious spirit and motivation when she drew.

Even in the darkest of times, Gray knew how to turn the light on in Juvia's life. All it took was a little flicker of hope and then everything would become anew.


	28. Snow and Hot Chocolate

"Fight me, Laxus!" Natsu yelled, throwing a snowball in Laxus' face as he walked with Freed to Mirajane's bar. The fire mage was in the mood to start a snowball fight, and there was nothing that would deter him from his goal.

Laxus, however, was annoyed that his guildmate wouldn't stop trying to fight him wherever he went. He could be practically anywhere and Natsu would try to start a battle. The taller mage scowled and rubbed his hand over his now cold face.

"Knock it off, Natsu," Freed warned, but Laxus was already getting a bunch of snowballs ready.

"Leave it, Freed. If the kid wants a fight, he'll get one. Now help me get these snowballs ready," Laxus told his boyfriend, and Freed followed his lover's orders. Anything for Laxus, especially when it meant that there would be an interesting battle ahead.

"You asked for it!" Natsu yelled, running into an alley and ducking behind a trash can. Laxus and Freed had now built a wall of snow, and the only thing standing between them and victory was a small walkway and Natsu's good aim. Thankfully no one really walked between the alley and where the fort was built, so they had a pretty good shot.

Natsu threw the first ball, and it hit Freed square in the face as he tried to find where Natsu was hiding.

"Ha!" Natsu laughed, and Laxus growled and threw another snowball at Natsu. It hit the trashcan with a dull thump and Natsu laughed once again.

Natsu knew he had his chance, and he better take it now. Laxus and Freed were now arguing over who threw the snowballs and standing up in clear sight. He ducked behind the trash can once again and then pitched a snowball without looking.

Natsu heard a thud, and he knew that he had hit either Laxus or Freed. He pumped his fist in victory and jumped up from his cover!

"Gotcha!" Natsu shouted, and he froze when he saw someone.

And that someone was not Laxus or Freed.

It was a woman with long blonde hair with a maroon hat atop her head. Her body was bundled up because of the snow, and on her feet she wore cute little snow boots. Her face was covered by a snowball, and her brows were positioned in a way that made her look angry. Very angry.

The woman wiped the snow off her face and stomped towards Natsu. Backing up, he stumbled and fell as he stared into her eyes. They were pretty, but full of rage. He knew now what true fear felt like.

"What the hell were you thinking? You can't just throw a snowball at a random passerby like that! You're so dead, mister!" she said, eyes blazing with ferocity. Scooping up a pile of snow, she pitched it into Natsu's face and he barely blinked when the cold hit his face.

"Uh, do you think you could help me beat those guys over there?" Natsu said intelligently, thankful that he could make a real sentence in front of this gorgeous woman.

"Huh? Why do you think I would–" she said as she turned to face Laxus and Freed, and instantly she was nailed in the face with a bigger snowball than Natsu himself had thrown at her. Laxus merely laughed when she glared at him. He wasn't afraid of a little blonde girl half his height. Freed merely covered his mouth politely, trying not to chuckle.

"That's it. We're going to beat those guys' asses. I don't even know who they are," she said, and then paused for a moment. "I don't know who you are, either."

"Natsu Dragneel. Nice to meet ya. Help me kick my friends' asses and I'll get you a hot chocolate," he said, sticking out his hand to shake hers. He was happy that he could be suave even in the middle of a fight.

Her eyes glimmered with amusement at the strange man standing before her. She found him interesting, and especially because he wasn't wearing a coat in ten degree weather. His eyes got brighter when she shook his hand.

"Lucy Heartfilia. I will accept your offer when we win," she said, turning to face the older men. Laxus smirked and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Fat chance, blondie," he said, and Freed threw another snowball at her. It hit her right on the cheek, and it stung.

Oh, it was so on.

"Let's go, Natsu!" Lucy said, scooping up a few piles of snow. "You throw the snowballs, and I'll make them! Teamwork is our strong point!"

Natsu smiled at his new friend's strategy. "I like the way you think. Let's kick their asses, Lucy!"

Natsu did end up buying Lucy's hot chocolate, and they stayed in Mirajane's bar late into the night talking about their pasts.


	29. Gifts and Surprises

"Juvia has no idea how to wrap this," Juvia said with a sigh, and Gray came up behind her with two mugs of hot chocolate in his hands.

His wife was sitting cross-legged on the floor with her hands buried in a sweater she got for Lucy. Gray chuckled and handed her a mug as he sat down beside her.

"Have you tried putting it in a box?" Gray teased, and Juvia smacked him on the arm playfully.

"Juvia tried. She couldn't find any boxes," she said sadly, and Gray wrapped his arms around his wife and began to wrap the blue sweater with skill.

Within thirty seconds, the sweater was wrapped with a bow on top and a place sticker written in Juvia's handwriting. Juvia stared at her husband in awe.

"How did Gray-sama know how to wrap presents so well?" she asked with a smile, taking a sip of her hot chocolate. Hers had extra marshmallows. Juvia loved sweet things, and Gray took that to his advantage when he made her treats.

"It's easy. You just pull this over here," he said, grasping her arm from behind her and pulling the wrapping paper towards her, "and then pull this over to this corner. Then you just do that again, and you've got a wrapped gift."

Juvia's cheeks flushed suddenly, causing Gray's mind to whir with thoughts. The woman got up quickly and retrieved a small box from under the tree and presented it to her husband.

"Juvia didn't want Gray to open this until Christmas, but this is a better time than later," Juvia said quietly, and Gray realized that she had used his actual name without the suffix.

"Alright," he said uneasily, and began to unwrap the small box slowly, his hands shaking. What did he have to give her that had to be unwrapped right away?

He opened the small box and pushed aside the tissue paper to reveal a pregnancy test.

It was positive.

"Juvia," Gray said, and he collected his wife in his arms immediately and spun and held her in the air. Juvia squealed and laughed, and they fell into a heap together on the couch.

"How did you find this out?" Gray asked, and Juvia blushed.

"Juvia missed her period and started to feel sick. Does Gray remember when Juvia had to miss that important mission with Natsu and Lucy earlier? She was throwing up and took the test then."

Gray's eyes shone at his wife, and he kissed her on the forehead. "You're going to be a great mother, Juvia."

"And Gray-sama is going to be a great father."

The rest of the evening was spent wrapping presents and preparing for the baby.


	30. Telescopes and Celestials

"Juvia is going to go watch Gray-sama play soccer. Would Lucy like to join?" Juvia asked her friend with a smile, and Lucy shook her head.

"Thank you for asking, Juvs, but I have to record the moon and the stars tonight. The eclipse is going to happen, and I can't miss that!" Lucy bit her lip, hoping her friend would understand.

"Alright, but if Lucy wants to come later, she should let her friends know," Juvia smiled softly once more and hugged her friend goodbye. As Lucy walked her friends walk off to see their boyfriends or crushes compete in the tournament, she felt a pang of disappointment.

'Stupid Lucy,' she thought, unrolling the parchment and pushing her glasses up her nose, 'if only you would go and meet a guy! You've been single since you and Dan broke up ages ago, and you need to get over it."

Lucy cursed herself for not saying yes and watched as her friends headed out to the field. She gazed below as she saw Juvia embrace Gray and give him a good-luck kiss. Lucy smiled, happy that Juvia finally had someone who would help her with the depression she had for years. Juvia wasn't the happiest person before Gray, but now that the icy man had turned his affections toward her and made her his, Juvia had become a much more joyful person.

Lucy tipped the telescope up to the stars to see what they would look like tonight. They were shimmering brightly as always, but only tonight would they look this bright. The eclipse was about to happen, and Lucy couldn't be more excited.

It was safe to say that Lucy was an astronomy nerd. Ever since her mother gave her her first telescope, Lucy had been obsessed with finding little differences in the stars. Sometimes she even thought that the stars spoke to her and gave her wisdom.

As the moon became covered, Lucy gasped and began to chart how it looked and started to draw it. She jotted down the position of the moon on that night, and she grasped her sketchbook and pushed her pencil to paper to draw the moon and how it looked in different phases. Peering inside of the telescope, Lucy giggled with glee and could not mask the smile on her face.

Tonight was perfect. But in the midst of perfect, everything went wrong.

A wind blew the telescope down onto the soccer field, and her parchment and other materials were blown into the air.

"No!" Lucy yelled, running up to reach them. But it was too late. They were already falling down and she was sure that the pencils she spent so much money on would be destroyed by the time she got to them. Lucy's hand was outstretched just a little too much in horror, and she began to lose her balance.

"Whoa!" she shouted, and Lucy heard gasps from the playing field. She turned to hear the coach tell the players to stop, and Lucy screamed as she felt the whistling in her ears. Wind.

She was falling, and there was no saving her now. Lucy closed her eyes and resigned to herself that she could not survive and wrapped her arms around her chest.

Seconds later, though, she felt herself fall into something and stop moving. She opened one eye and saw a chest and blinked her other eye open.

When she looked up, however, she was not expecting to see a smile as bright as his. Why, they rivaled the stars that night.

"I didn't know I would catch a falling star tonight," the man's voice was soft but deep, and she looked into his eyes.

A deep sage gaze met her own, and she shrieked and moved away. Yet, the arms held her tightly. Their eyes never left each other's, even when the man's pupils became bigger and darkened. Lucy felt her eyes do the same, and her face flushed at the intensity of the stare.

Was this… attraction? Lucy had to wonder as the man grinned at her, and the woman's heart began to pound in her chest. The moments of silence were almost deafening, but they were nice all the same.

The man set her down and rubbed his hands on his shorts. Lucy dusted herself off and straightened. When she noticed that the man was quite a bit taller than her, her eyes widened and he smiled that smile she liked so much again.

"Thank you for saving me," she choked out, her mouth suddenly dry.

"No problem. I'm always ready to have a beautiful woman fall for me," he said, and it was Lucy's turn to smile.

"Lucy!" Juvia's voice was heard from a few steps away. When she turned to look at her friend, Juvia practically tackled the taller woman and smothered her with a hug.

"Is Lucy alright?" Juvia asked, and Lucy grinned.

She sure was…

"Don't worry, Juvia. He saved me," Lucy said, turning to look at the man.

"So you finally got yourself a girl, Natsu? Huh. Took you long enough," Gray jogged up and told the man who had saved Lucy.

Natsu…?

"Oi! I knew I'd find one soon! The stars told me!" Natsu stomped his foot, and Gray's brows knit together in annoyance.

"Wait, you like the stars too?" Lucy said, and Natsu turned to face her.

"Yeah! It's one of my hobbies. Soccer is another one. I like to have a lot of cool stuff to keep me busy so my homework doesn't make me bored," Natsu said, crossing his hands behind his head with a grin.

"I do too! They're so bright and beautiful, just like tonight! Did you know that there was an eclipse tonight?" Lucy said, her smile bigger than before.

"No way! I can't believe coach made us have practice on the night of an eclipse!" Natsu scoffed, and Lucy smiled as Gray raised a fist and told Natsu that he was a weirdo.

Maybe tonight didn't work out just the way Lucy wanted, but she was sure of one thing: the stars sure were smiling down on them tonight.


	31. Shock and Awe

"Gajeel, where are you taking me?" Levy asked as Gajeel practically dragged her along. Her tiny legs could barely keep up with his long ones, and so she had to run to keep up with his walking.

"Hold onto your shorts, Shrimp," his gruff voice rang out, and she huffed. She hated to be kept waiting.

As she looked around where they were going, she noticed that the road looked familiar. She noticed that everything seemed the same as it did years ago. When Gajeel finally stopped, Levy also halted to gape at the sight.

The tree that he tried to crucify her on years ago was now more gorgeous than ever before. True, she had never thought that the tree would ever be considered gorgeous to her again, but she was amazed. Small lit orbs hung from the tree's branches and a small table was set up for them. A few roses ordained the table, and it was just turning evening.

And in place of the nail holes where he nailed her to the tree was a big heart that red "Gajeel + Levy". Levy put her hand over her heart and sighed quietly, and Gajeel came up alongside her.

"Gajeel, what's all this?" she said, turning to gaze up at him. She was more confused than anything.

"It's our anniversary, Shrimp. I thought you'd remember," he clucked, and Levy covered her mouth and gasped.

"I'm so sorry, Gajeel! I got so caught up with the war finally ending and the work that I'm doing as the council's representative that I completely forgot! I can't believe that I forgot something as important as this!" Levy cursed herself, and Gajeel held a finger to his lips to silence her

"Quit your whinin'. It's not that big of a deal. C'mon, our food's gonna get cold if we stand here arguing all night," he told her, grasping her hand once more to pull her over to the table. He pulled out a chair for her and then sat down, and they began to dig in. The food was excellent, and she was guessing that Mira had made it. But why would Mira make this amazing food just for an anniversary?

"Levy," Gajeel began, and Levy looked up in shock at her boyfriend speaking her real name.

"I haven't been the greatest man to you. I tried to hurt you, and I almost murdered your best friends." Gajeel pulled at his collar, suddenly sweaty.

"But we're past that, Gajeel. It doesn't matter now. What matters is–"

"Shush. I'm talkin'," he told her, and she quieted immediately. If he had to interrupt her, he meant business.

"What I was gonna say was that you're amazing. You fought next to me in the war, and I couldn't be more grateful. And you forgave me for all that shit I did. So… I have a question for ya," he told her, and she just looked at him, sure that this was one of his pranks. Surely he wouldn't…!

"Levy," he said, slowly getting down on one knee, "will you be my wife?"

Levy gasped, eyes wide. In his hand was a small steel band with a small heart carved into it, and she had never seen anything more beautiful.

Gajeel Redfox, the man who had almost killed her all those years ago, wanted to marry her. The shock settled in her core, and her eyes began to water. It was the proposal of her dreams.

And Levy McGarden couldn't be happier.

"Of course, Gajeel," she told him, and with a grin bigger than she'd ever seen before he slipped the ring on her finger. Levy threw herself into his arms and kissed him with vigor, and the two wrapped themselves in each other for a few moments before hearing whooping and hollering.

The rest of the guild members popped out from various places and embraced the two, and Gajeel even accepted a few hugs. The women gathered around Levy and admired her new engagement ring, and the men cheered on Gajeel for being so courageous.

Even though their relationship had gotten off to a rough start, Levy knew that she had a great thing with Gajeel. Something that was refined through fire and brought back even stronger than before.

And it was something she wouldn't give up, even for all of the books in the world.


	32. Warmth and Illness

Lucy sneezed, bringing Natsu's attention to the blonde. Usually she never got sick, and he could tell that she was definitely coming down with a fever.

"Lemme get ya into bed, Luce," he said, picking her up and carrying her over to tuck her into bed.

"You'd say anything to get me into bed, Natsu," Lucy said while wiping her nose.

Natsu chuckled, which was a deep sound that Lucy enjoyed. "True, but not today. You're sick." Even sex couldn't cure colds, no matter how much he wished it could.

Natsu felt Lucy's forehead and a confused expression crossed his face. "You don't feel sick, Lucy," he told her, using her real name. Lucy's eyebrows rose.

"What do you mean? Obviously I'm sick, otherwise I would have gone to work today!" Lucy said with a yell, and then went into a coughing fit.

"Your temperature feels normal, though," Natsu said, his eyebrows knit together in confusion.

"I might feel normal to you, but I feel freezing!" Lucy shivered, rubbing her shoulders rapidly to warm herself up.

Even though she was covered in blankets, Lucy felt like she was on Mount Hakobe. Her toes felt hot but the rest of her body felt like it was going to freeze any second.

Lucy grabbed onto Natsu's hand, and instantly her hand felt warmer than it was before. Lucy clasped his hand with both of hers, and she smiled at the sudden change in temperature. Natsu stared at Lucy, who was holding his hand and looking into his eyes with her brown ones, and his palms became sweaty and his face warmed. However, this only warmed up his hands further, and Lucy sighed at the sudden heat wave.

This gave Natsu an idea.

"I'm gonna snuggle with you to warm you up, Luce!" Natsu exclaimed, burrowing under the covers next to Lucy.

Lucy yelped, but begrudgingly moved over to make room for her friend. Her face felt like it was on fire when he wrapped his arms around her middle and held her close.

'Stupid… of course you wouldn't know if I was sick since you're so warm!' Lucy thought. But it felt nice to have someone next to her, especially someone who she was so comfortable with like Natsu.

'Mm, feels warm,' Lucy thought before slipping into sleep. A few minutes later, she was snoring softly and Natsu chuckled quietly as to not wake her up.

Natsu cuddled into his best friend, and he noticed how comfortably she fit in his arms. It was like they were made specifically for spooning each other.

Natsu's face flushed when he thought of spooning Lucy. Of course, they weren't really cuddling. He was just holding her while she was sick, right?

Natsu soon also drifted off into sleep, but Natsu's last thought echoed in his mind before he went off to dreamland.

'I want to sleep next to her and stay by her side forever…'


	33. Unrequited Infatuation

Freed had always looked up to Laxus, height wise and leadership wise. Even though Freed was the leader of the rajinshuu, he thought quite often that Laxus should be the leader himself. Strong and silent was his type, that's for sure.

It wasn't a shock that Freed fell in love with him at first sight.

It was when they were boys and Laxus rescued Freed from his bullies and the people who attacked him on a regular basis.

"I'll make them pay," Laxus had told him, his electricity already firing up. The tiny boy jumped back at the light but stayed his course. Laxus zapped one of the boys and punched the other, and the boys ran away yelling for their mommies once they saw that Laxus was a mage-a mage of Fairy Tail no less.

"Thank you," Freed said softly, grasping Laxus' hand as he helped him up.

"Don't worry about it," Laxus said with a shrug, and he became conscious of how bright and determined the boy's eyes were. Freed was amazed at how the boy's blonde hair lit up along with his electricity and his eyes burned with intensity.

Freed barely even remembered his walk home as his eye glinted purple for the first time and a silver sword pocketed itself in his belt loop.

His magic was to protect Laxus as Laxus had protected him.

And he swore to do just that for the rest of his life.

Years later, Freed found Evergreen and Bixlow on a job with Laxus. They were in a town that had been found deserted, and they happened upon the two misfits that barely knew each other. It was there and then that Evergreen discovered her own magic as she turned Bixlow into stone. Freed chuckled as she released him minutes later with Bixlow muttering curse words.

The four decided to adventure together for the rest of their lives. And then, the Rajinshuu was born with Freed decided as the leader as soon as they saw the glimmering silver sword in it's sheath.

"You're the coolest, Freed!" Bixlow said, slinging an arm around his shoulders. Freed threw off Bixlow's arm and inched closer to Laxus, hoping that the older boy would perform the same action as the strange one.

"He's not that special," Evergreen sighed, folding her arms across her chest. "I'm cooler."

"Stop griping, all of you," Laxus said with a growl, and everyone fell silent.

Together, they completed the job and returned to Fairy Tail safely where Evergreen and Bixlow became members.

It was their first job as a team, and it definitely wouldn't be their last.

Freed was older now, and he finally knew what the feelings he contained inside his heart were for Laxus. It was not admiration, though that took up a part of that. It was not respect, though that held a portion as well. It was love.

And he wanted to let Laxus know that.

Scooping up a pair of headphones that he bought and wrapped for his crush, Freed made his way over to the table the hunkering man sat at.

"Laxus?" Freed asked, and Laxus looked up with a grunt. Freed held out the package and told him to have a happy birthday. Laxus looked at the present in concern for a moment before ripping it open.

"You buy these?" he asked Freed.

"Yes. I thought you would like them. Your old ones were shredded," Freed said in an attempt to sound nonchalant, but his heart was beating quicker than it ever had before.

"Hm," Laxus said for a moment, fitting them over his head and turning up his classic rock music.

Freed's pulse quickened when the line that Laxus' mouth usually took the shape of upturned into a soft smile.

"I like them. Thanks," Laxus said, leaning over and embracing the man. Freed flushed brightly but turned to walk away as soon as it was over to make sure that Laxus wouldn't see it.

But he did, and Laxus' face was a soft pink as well. He liked how the smaller man fit into his chest and how his hair smelled.

If only he had the courage to tell him how he felt.


	34. Over the Moon

Lucy stomped inside her house and threw her keys into the bowl beside the door, startling both her cat and her fiance. It had been a hellauva day, and she didn't care who knew it. Throwing herself on her bed, she groaned and began to yell into her pillow.

"Uh, Luce? What's wrong?" Natsu asked, coming up to her hesitantly, placing a hand on her back.

"Don't touch me!" she yelled with fire in her eyes, and Natsu stepped back instantly with a scared look on his face. His soon-to-be wife could be scary when she was angry, and she was sure angry now. It would be best to stay away.

Then Lucy sighed, running a hand through her ragged hair. "Sorry, Natsu. It's just that someone tried to flirt with me today."

"Who was it? I'll kill the bastard!" Natsu roared, punching the air twice.

"Calm down. It was someone who wanted a book deal but kept staring at my chest. I told him I had a fiance and he made a joke about him not being here so he could do anything he wanted. Thankfully Levy was around the corner and slapped him away before he tried anything," Lucy told him, shaking her head at her friend's antics.

"Wanna take a nap with me?" Natsu asked, with a grin. Lucy almost couldn't refuse, but decided to anyway.

"Thanks, Natsu, but I need some time alone," she told him with a yawn, turning over and pulling the covers over her head. A few moments later he heard slow breathing, and he knew that she was asleep.

But he knew he had to cheer her up even if she didn't want him to. Lucy wanted him to help even though she didn't ask. And Natsu knew just the thing.

He walked over to the stereo and hooked up his phone to it, tapping a few buttons to turn on her favorite songs. The familiar piano started to play, and a few moments later a trumpet joined it's quieter companion.

"W-Why are you playing La Vie En Rose?" Lucy asked, and Natsu smiled at her tangled bedhead.

"You had a rough day, and I wanna cheer you up," he said with a grin, pulling on some fuzzy socks onto his bare feet. He handed Lucy hers, and she reached out a reluctant hand.

"What–"

"Dance with me, Luce."

Lucy took his hand, and she was swooped up immediately into his arms, and she giggled softly when he began to sing along with Louis Armstrong's deep, raspy voice. Natsu's own was smooth and seductive, but it fit along with the rest of the song.

He remembered how he watched her before he asked her out, and how she pushed him away. She wasn't playing hard-to-get at all, she was just not interested in any type of relationship at all. Lucy had been asked out a few times before, but had also told them no.

He was determined to get a yes from her. She was gorgeous and smart and amazing, and so out of his league. But he loved her anyway. He liked how she would argue with the professor on feminist ideals, and how she would laugh with her friends at lunch. Both her angry and happy voices sounded beautiful to him, and he couldn't wait until she would laugh with him one day.

Thankfully he had entranced her enough to say yes, and he proposed a year later. In front of the college bookshop decorated with lights, he asked her the most important question of her life. She jumped into his arms and said yes when he asked, and he kissed her so softly and strongly.

And as they held each other, all the feelings that Lucy held for Natsu came rushing back as well. It was true, she didn't want a relationship when he first started to pursue her, but Lucy couldn't help notice the rose haired boy who took her heart away so quickly that she was amazed. She loved his sense of adventure and his bravery. She enjoyed getting to know him and being his friend, and right when she thought she never would fall in love, she fell hard and fast for him.

Lucy smiled up at him and he looked back at her like she was his world. And that she was. He pressed his lips to hers in a soft, smooth kiss that lasted for a few moments. When they broke apart, a small line of saliva still connected them as they grinned.

"I love you, Luce."

"I love you too, Natsu."


	35. Headaches & Hair Gel

"Those ballet dancers are annoying," Natsu said, slicking his hair back with some gel. After a long workout, his hair was greasy and he didn't want anything to do with it. And taking a shower was not optional as the boys swim team was in the only remaining ones. He did not want to see any guys in speedos, much less nothing at all.

"I hear ya. They can be real prisses," Gray said as he smoothed his shirt, then started to unbutton it as usual. He took it off and stuffed it in his gym bag, and Natsu sighed at the action. Being best friends had it's downfalls such as that, but they agreed on most things.

As the two walked outside the gym to drive back to their apartments, Natsu spotted something strange.

A girl with a long blonde ponytail and her ballet uniform arguing with some guy in gym shorts and a wife beater. The guy wore a snapback on his head, and his face was prettier than most guys'. But the way he acted was far from handsome.

It was odd seeing as gorgeous as a girl as she get so angry. By the tone of her voice and the pointing finger in his face, he had done something wrong. The guy was not backing down, though, and with a smirk on his face he stared at the girl's chest.

It only made her angrier, and she slapped him on the cheek, leaving a red mark. The guy rubbed it and then began arguing back. Natsu stared, but knew that she had it handled. If she had just slapped him, she might as well punch him too.

She turned to walk away, her ponytail swaying, and the guy moved closer to tweak her bottom with his fingers. Then the girl stopped, and Natsu took a step back as Gray eyed him warily.

"What the hell–" Gray began, but Natsu silenced him with a hand over his mouth.

The woman's ponytail whipped around as the girl with fire now in her eyes turned and punched the guy straight in the nose. Droplets of blood gushed from his face, and he turned and ran as to clean it up. It seemed as if the pretty boy was too bothered with his looks to do anything else to the woman.

Gray stopped him with a hand on his shoulder as Natsu took the first step to approach the girl. "Do you know what you're getting into, idiot? She's pissed."

"I know what I'm doing. She needs help," Natsu said as he threw off Gray's hand and jogged toward the girl. She was packing up her things with the angry look still on her face, and he inched toward her.

But it seemed that she had instincts that were even more tuned than his as she turned to face him, her brown eyes blazing with rage.

"What?" she asked, her tone flat. Her mouth was a thin line, and her eyebrows were narrowed at him. Surely she thought he was about to flirt with her too.

"I-I was just going to ask if you needed any help packing up your things," he stumbled on his words when he noticed how beautiful her eyes were, even when they were full of vexation.

She thought for a moment, and then she shook her head with a smile. "As long as you don't pinch my butt or stare at my boobs, I'm fine with it."

"Wouldn't even dream of it," he said, gathering her books and other clothes for her. He picked up a book he recognized, and he found that she was taking a similar class as he.

"Are you taking Algebra Two at Magnolia U?" he asked, showing her the book.

The woman groaned, and then chuckled. "Yeah, I hate it. I'm great at English but not so much Math."

"Would you want a tutor, then? I'm shit at editing papers," he said, looking at the ground.

She looked at him for a moment, and then smiled again. It just about made his head hurt with how beautiful it was. "Sure. English Lab 142 on Tuesday?"

"Yeah!"

"It's a date, then," she said with a wink, sauntering past him. She patted his cheek with another grin before she was gone, and Natsu went back to Gray, who was now staring at a blue-haired girl doing the butterfly in the pool. When she got out of the water, Gray balked as her beautiful body dripped with water.

"Holy shit man, I think I like her," Gray whispered.

"Yeah, me too."

"Do you even know how to spell?" she asked with a laugh, and he was surprised to see how good she looked in normal clothes. She wore a cranberry sweater and a gray skirt with thigh highs, which he definitely preferred. The bright color popped against her pale skin and made her eyes look even brighter, which Natsu took note of when she walked toward him.

"Not really," he said with a chuckle of his own, running a hand through his hair. It was washed and spiky now as it normally was, but he added a little of the gel from earlier to make it a little more defined.  
"Well, I don't know how to do word problems either, so we're even," she said with a grin, and it hurt his head this time. They stopped for coffee first before going to study, and Natsu wasn't used to drinking the stuff so his headache worsened. But he would do it for her.

They worked on problems for a few hours, and finally she was able to do them on her own. After throwing a brief celebration where she went to go get a scone, confusion settled on her face.

"What?" he asked, confused.

"I never got your name," she said, looking at him now.

"Natsu Dragneel. Yours?"

"Lucy Heartfilia. Pleasure," she said, sticking out her hand.

Maybe ballet dancers weren't so prissy after all.


	36. Graceless Attraction

Natsu kicked a stone out in the courtyard, cursing the monkey suit he was wearing. It was far too sweaty and far too fitting for him to wear. He would sell his soul to be wearing his regular clothes at the moment, but today was a very important day.

It was the day he would meet his betrothed.

He cursed as the stone skidded directly into a bush, and he went to pick it up before kicking it a few more times. Natsu only stopped when his father, Igneel, halted the stone with his own foot with a smirk.

Igneel rubbed his red beard before slinging an arm around his son's shoulder. "Nervous?"

Natsu scoffed. "You wish, old man. I just hope she's not prissy."

"Her father says she's very intelligent and beautiful. But every father would say that about his daughter, so I don't know what you're getting yourself into," Igneel said with a chuckle, and Natsu jabbed his father in the ribs.

Despite his calm exterior, Natsu actually was nervous. He wasn't used to being around girls other than the ones that terrified him like Erza or confused him like Cana. The only girl he was actually alright with being friends with was Lisanna, but she was just a friend to him. Nothing more, nothing less.

"Besides, she's your betrothed, and you don't get to pick who you get married to," Igneel said, startling Natsu out of his thoughts. He didn't think he would be this taxing to just meet a girl for the first time.

"Igneel!" a voice sounded from the other side of the courtyard, and Natsu picked up the flowers that were sitting on the bench that he had brought with him. He was sure that she was used to flowers such as roses, but Igneel made a big deal about making the right impression.

"Nice to see you, Jude. Still have that mark on your ass where the chipmunk bit you?" Igneel said, stepping forward to embrace the taller man.

"It was a squirrel, and it was terrifying. And yes, thank you for asking." Jude said with a chuckle, and Igneel grinned. He hadn't seen his friend in a long time.

Jude turned to look at Natsu. "Ah, this must be your son. Pleasure to meet you, young man," he said, sticking out a large hand.

"Yeah, likewise," Natsu said, shaking the older man's hand. When was he supposed to meet this girl again? His feet were starting to hurt in these shoes, and he wasn't accustomed to wearing a tie.

"May I introduce Lucy, my daughter," Jude said, stepping out of the way for the young woman to walk into the courtroom.

'She looks… bright,' Natsu thought as the woman stepped toward him, and his eyes traveled down her body in approval. She was beautiful, but more than that she seemed like she held the light of the world in her hands. Her blonde hair swung in a ponytail as she walked, and her brown eyes locked with his. Lucy's pale skin shimmered in the light and even appeared to glimmer underneath the sun.

She was gorgeous. Holy shit, was he going to marry this girl?

"Hello," she said, her voice melodic.

"H-Hello," Natsu stumbled over his words, "H-How are you?"

She giggled before answering. "I am fine. You seem not to be."

Natsu flushed but said nothing as Igneel and Jude chuckled, thankful that Natsu's awkwardness had covered up their own.

"Well, let's go have lunch. I'm sure you're excited to hear more about Lucy," Jude said with a wink, and Natsu's flush deepened.

As she walked next to her father, all he could think was 'Damn straight'.

Lunch was a quiet affair, and Natsu thankfully didn't spill food on himself the whole time. He was able to change into his regular clothes, and so was Lucy.

What would she look like in her normal clothes? Would her skin shimmer or she seem as bright? Would her eyes lock on his and make him nervous like he she did in the courtyard?

Natsu pondered the questions while making his way up the stairs into the music room where Lucy stayed the most. She rarely went to her room, only going up to sleep or eat her meals. She had many hobbies, but music was her favorite.

As he approached, he heard a quiet piano's melody being played. Once reaching the doorway, he stopped and watched her play in amazement. Her hair cascaded down her back now, and it swayed back and forth as her fingers danced in a beautiful song that she sang along to.

"You taught me the courage of the stars before you left," she sang, and he realized it was a piano rendition of one of his favorite songs.

He listened as she sang about how life carries on even after death, and even he felt moved by her words. As she played, he was aware that maybe he understood her better through this song than he would through any words she could ever say. Lucy sounded as gorgeous as she looked, and Natsu smiled softly when she finished.

"That was amazing," he said, and she jumped at the sound of clapping and his voice.

"O-Oh! Thank you," she said, clearly embarrassed.

He grinned, looking around the room. All kinds of music books were stacked up around the tiny room, and although there were no bookshelves it seemed that she organized it all her own. A canvas with an unfinished painting sat in the corner with the light of the setting sun cascading on it, and a violin sat on a stool with dust on it by the crackling fireplace.

"This room is awesome!" Natsu said with a grin, and Lucy smiled.

"Thank you. It was my mother's," she told him, turning to look at the piano. Her fingers rested softly on the keys, and Natsu slowly came around to smile at her.

"I'm sure she'd be proud of you. You're kickass at piano, and your voice is great!" he said with a grin, and she smiled back softly.

"Thank you," she said again, giggling. "Maybe I really should stop saying that."

"What?"

"Thank you. I've said it three times. You really do compliment me too much, you know," she replied with another giggle.

"Well, third time's a charm," he chuckled before sitting next to her in silence.

They stayed there for a few moments, enjoying the silence that they shared. It was peaceful, and Lucy enjoyed the tranquility they felt between them even when nothing was being said.

"Would you–would you maybe like to go to get coffee sometime? I mean, I know you're probably used to fancy espresso drinks, but I know a place that makes great stuff," Natsu said, relieved that he had gotten over the awkwardness of earlier.

She smiled, and he felt his heart race. "I would love that."


	37. Better Late Than Never

Happy Belated Valentine's Day! I hope you all had a lovely day, no matter what your relationship status. This is my little gift to you! 3

* * *

Lucy stood with a hand placed on her hip, looking at the calendar in annoyance. It was February 20th, but yet she received no gift from her boyfriend. She supposed that maybe he forgot, or that he just didn't care. Only one of those things was unlike Natsu, and it wasn't the uncaring one. He cared so much for her, that she knew full and well.

But why the hell was he so late on her gift?

Sighing, she decided to go grab one of the many bath bombs she had underneath her sink and drop one into the bath to relax. She chose a lavender one to relax her body and mind, and she was just sinking into the tub when she heard the bathroom door open. Out of instinct, she screamed.

Natsu pushed away the shower curtain with his ears covered. "Hey Luce!"

She continued to scream while wrapping her naked body rapidly with the shower curtain, and Natsu's ears rang with the noise even with his ears covered. "Stop screaming! I was just gonna ask if you wanted your Valentine's day gift now or later."

Lucy stood in irritation, fists balled at her sides. "It's already late, Natsu! Do you know what day it is?"

"Uh, the… 20th?"

"Yes. And Valentine's day is the 14th," she said, her eyes glaring into his.

"Oh. Well, I can still give you your gift!" he said, excited despite Lucy's terrifying gaze. He seriously didn't see a problem with this? How dense was he, exactly?

He pulled out a heart shaped box out of his book bag he always carried with him. With a sheepish grin, he handed it to her.

"What's this?" she asked, her brows furrowing in confusion.

"It's chocolate," he replied, and then the corners of his mouth upturned, making him look rather smug and goofy. "I guess you could say it's…choco-late!"

Lucy was too stunned to answer as she wrapped a towel around her body. She sighed softly, carefully stepping over to her idiotic boyfriend, avoiding the puddles of water she left.

"Get out of my house!" she yelled, kicking him in the face. Natsu swore he could die happy with what he saw in that moment before he fell to the floor with a bump on his head.

"Idiot!' she said indignantly, tipping her nose in the air. How could he be so stupid?

"B-But Luce! At least I gave it to you right? And I have something else for you!" he said, rubbing the bump on his head. Lucy scoffed, which only motivated him further to rummage through his bag to find his other gift.

"Are you going to make another pun?" Lucy asked with another glare, and he stepped away in fear.

"N-No," he said, his eyes not looking into hers. He was lying.

"Natsu!" she growled, ripping open the gift.

It was a small box made of velvet.

"W-What?" she said, and he carefully plucked the box from her hand as Lucy stood in shock.

"This wasn't my plan, Luce. I meant to take you out to a nice restaurant, and I couldn't remember what day Valentine's Day was. Uh, better late than never?" Natsu said with a chuckle, and he popped open the box. Lucy gasped, a hand flying to her lips.

It was a beautiful diamond ring with sapphires encircling it in a vine pattern, and she realized it was the ring that she had complimented when they were shopping together. She had rushed to a window and pointed to the ring with a enchanted sigh, hoping that he would give her that exact ring when he proposed.

"Lucy Anna Heartfilia, will you marry me?" he asked, gazing into her eyes with the most sincere and loving look she had ever seen on a man.

Lucy noted his bright smile and his twinkling eyes as she said yes, flying into his arms to kiss him. She was thankful that her towel stayed on as she kissed him fervently, thankful that he remembered the ring.

It didn't matter now if he was late for Valentine's Day, or if he wasn't sure exactly what to say when he proposed. It was late, but it was at just the right time that she was surprised. It was real, and it was perfect.

This was a Valentine's Day Lucy would never forget.

* * *

I felt like this ending was a little cheesy, but I enjoyed writing this! I hope you had a great day. I'll start posting fics for different holidays. I might even do a Scottish!Lucy and Irish!Natsu for St Patrick's Day lol

I'm both Scottish and Irish, but no one in my family wants to talk about it lol

Anyway, hope you enjoyed! Stay tuned, my dears!

~unashamed-shipper


	38. Ticket to Love

"Flight 492, we are now boarding. Flight 492," the bored voice said over the intercom, but Gajeel didn't care much that his flight was boarding to leave to Magnolia. He was too distracted by the short woman sitting in the same concourse as him and reading a book.

Taking in her details, he noticed that she carried a small carry on with her, and it leaned underneath the weight. Is she really carrying a case full of books? Gajeel wondered with a smirk, watching the woman take a sip of her coffee and slide a hand through her azure hair. Her locks looked bright and shiny, and he would have to ask what hair dye she used to dye her hair that color. Not that he was going to steer away from black, of course…

Her eyes flicked to his for a moment, and she locked gazes with him as if staring him down. He gulped. Man, this woman was intense. Then, her eyes traveled back to her book as she gripped it tightly, reading the next sentence with baited breath.

It was then that Gajeel decided to walk over. He only had a few minutes before his plane departed. Besides, he didn't know whenever he'd see her again.

Sauntering over, Gajeel grinned at the woman who had him so entranced. But her eyes never strayed from the book as she asked him a question.

"What do you want?" she asked, her tone dull yet not entirely uninterested.

That sparked a little irritation within him. He was the great Gajeel Redfox, and people all around Magnolia had heard of his boxing skills. Surely this woman would swoon over him once he fought someone for her honor.

"I wanna know about the book yer readin'," he said, and once he actually read the title he was interested. It had something to do with vampires, but it didn't seem like a waste of his time like most novels did.

"Really?" she asked, her eyes looking to his as she turned to face him. "What interests you?"

"Well, it doesn't sound like bullshit like the rest of em'. It looks like a good read ta me," he said, and the woman laughed lightly. It sounded like a song, melodic but simple. He liked the sound of it, and wished that he could hear it again.

"That is true. I read Twilight in high school and now regret my decision," the woman said, smiling as she turned back to read her book.

There was silence for a few moments, and then Gajeel heard the front desk announcer report that his plane was now boarding. He knew he had to leave, but wanted to do something quickly before he departed.

"Lemme see what this is all about," Gajeel said with a smirk, picking up her book and beginning to read the first couple of sentences. Finding what information he needed and accomplishing his goal, he began to taunt her with it.

"Hey! Give that back!" she shouted, jumping up and down. Gajeel held it with one hand in the air, shaking his head with a grin.

"Jeez, woman. You're so short I doubt you'll ever be able to take the book from me," he replied, and in return she pouted and tapped her foot impatiently.

"You give that book back to me right now or I will have to take measures!" she said, shaking a fist at him. Gajeel roared with laughter.

"Oh yeah? Like what? You gonna climb up and get it?" he teased, but was surprised when he felt a warm body press up against his.

That's exactly what she was doing.

In a flash, she had the book in her hands once more and was switching it out for a new one when Gajeel felt the front desk people staring him in the back of the head. He was the only one left that had not boarded.

"See ya later, shrimp," Gajeel said, turning around and waving to her as he got on the bridge to board the plane.

Despite her annoyance, she sat back down and began to read her book when a small business card fell out of the front pages of the book.

"Huh?" She was confused beyond belief. How did he even stick that business card in there?

Nevertheless, she decided to read it. Curious, Levy flipped it over and began to scan the card.

'Gajeel Redfox,' it read, 'Personal trainer and world-renowned boxer.' Underneath was a phone number and a little more information about him.

She knew she had to jump at the chance to call him in order to tell him that she lived in Magnolia too-she was just waiting for the next flight into town so then she could apply for a job that she had waited for.

And she couldn't wait to tell him something else too-she was a world renowned author and had written the book she was reading.


End file.
